V-Lab, A catalyst for developing the capacities of people, businesses and organizations in Vanuatu

​In developing countries, the concept of capacity development has long been seen as a critical element of any sustainable growth and advancement process.

Capacity development refers to the process through which individuals, organizations, and societies strengthen, and maintain the capabilities to set and achieve their own development objectives over time. This process encompasses enhancing skills, improving institutional structures, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptation.

For businesses and community organizations in developing countries, capacity development is not merely a theoretical construct but a practical necessity. It is the engine that drives innovation, efficiency, and resilience, enabling entities to navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing global economy. In the business sector, capacity development translates into improved management practices, better financial planning, enhanced product quality, and stronger customer relations. These improvements are critical for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are often the backbone of local economies but frequently lack access to the resources and knowledge required for growth.
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Community organizations, on the other hand, rely on capacity development to build robust structures that can effectively address local challenges. Whether it's a non-governmental organization (NGO) working on health initiatives, an educational institution striving to improve literacy rates, or a community cooperative aiming to boost agricultural productivity, the enhancement of organizational capacities is vital. It ensures these entities can operate efficiently, mobilize resources, engage stakeholders, and sustain their impact over the long term

V-Lab's team

​Capacity development is at the heart of V-Lab’s action and approach and everything we do is ultimately about capacity development. This approach is not only reflected in the way we support our beneficiaries, but also in the manner we recruit and build our team.

 1. Developing the capacities of our beneficiaries
​Whether V-Lab supports business men and women or local organizations, our approach is similar and stems from the recognition that building sustainable businesses or organizations takes a lot of time, energy and resources.
With that in mind, V-Lab has always favored quality Vs. quantity. Concretely, this means that V-Lab only runs intensive support programs that span over long period of times. With the exception of our nakamals programs which offer short and targeted learning cycles, all our programs extend over period of 6 to 12 months.  
V-Lab also recognizes the importance of adopting an “all inclusive” support approach under which the people and organizations we support benefit from a comprehensive package of support that includes, as a minimum training, personalized coaching and access to our network. Most of our programs also include financial support. It is only by combining these forms of support that we feel we can make a real and sustainable change in the lives of the people we support. 

​Finally, because we believe that once a program ends our beneficiaries should not be left on their own to continue their journey, we have established an alumni program which offer them on a continuous basis a number of opportunities to maintain our support beyond our program’s lifespan.
These opportunities include the V-Lab market, which enables our alumni to sell their products on a bi-monthly basis to the members of Yumiwork or the Wednesdei konect events which allow our alumni community to meet every two months for a social and networking event during which a guest speaker is invited to talk about a particular subject

2. Developing the capacities of our team
​Capacity development is also at the heart of our approach to build the best team in Vanuatu and in the entire Pacific region.

This starts with employing young Ni-Vanuatu graduates from the University with little or no experience in the different functions and role required in a charitable association (incl. communication, administration, finance, project management, etc.). When V-Lab recruit staff, we do not look at their experience. Only at their motivation and potential !

As a consequence of this, the average age of V-Lab employees is 27. Once onboarded, these young employees are then systematically trained and mentored by their peers to become rapidly, after a few months only, highly skilled professionals capable of successfully implementing the various tasks and responsibilities that are assigned to them.
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The same goes with our team of coaches and trainers. V-Lab now has a team of 15 coaches and trainers, all Ni-Vanuatu men and women with experience in running businesses who have all been extensively trained, by Chris Elphick from Breadfruit consulting in particular, to become successful business coaches. 3 of these coaches are now fully accredited with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) while the rest of the team is now going through the accreditation process. A first in the entire Pacific region !

The importance of capacity development should not be underestimated, as it fosters an environment where continuous improvement and innovation can flourish. By empowering individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge, capacity development creates a ripple effect that stimulates economic growth, social cohesion, and improved quality of life. ​