9th ILO/Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union (JCCU) African Cooperative Leaders’ Study Tour in Japan (Funded)

Venue, dates and cost

1. Venue: The study tour will take place in Japan.

2. Dates: The study tour will take place from 15–24 October 2018.

3. Costs : The principle of cost-sharing is central to this tour.

Consequently in 2010, JCCU and ILO launched a joint study tour to support the African cooperative movement to strengthen its capacity by promoting learning with the Japanese

cooperatives. From 2010 to 2017, eight study tours have been organized and 35 senior cooperative leaders and practitioners from 13 African countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Niger, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria, Swaziland, and

Democratic Republic of the Congo ) have participated in this study tour.

The selected African cooperative leaders learn about a range of the Japanese cooperatives’

businesses and its strongly membership-based approach through lectures and study visits in Tokyo and its vicinities. Meanwhile since the study tours have been conducted only in English, the number of participants from the francophone African countries remains limited. In light of above, JCCU and ILO have agreed on conducting this year’s study tour in French for the francophone African cooperative leaders.

Expected participants

• This year, five francophone African cooperative leaders will be invited to Japan to participate in the study tour. The participants will be selected based on the following criteria:
• Strong engagement in agricultural production, retailing & marketing and mutual cooperative activities;
• Leadership position in a cooperative enterprise, preferably in cooperative unions or 2 federations/confederation ( i.e. NGOs, government officials are not considered as the primary target group);
• Good/Fair education degree and/or proven experience in the cooperative movement;
• Results-oriented and proven record of achievements;
• Commitment from the institution sending the candidate;
• Strong willingness to share any lessons learned from the study tour within their cooperative and the cooperative movement as a whole back home;
• Ideally gender balanced; and
• Fluent in both spoken and written French. Good knowledge of English would be an asset. Qualified women and young people complying with the above mentioned criteria are highly encouraged to apply.

Programme outline

The study tour programme will include the below components:

1) Introduction of various kinds of cooperatives and their activities in Japan such as consumers’, agricultural, financial and workers’ and university cooperatives;

2) Lectures on consumers’ cooperative activities, and the Cooperative Principles (shared capital, use, and management by the members);

3) Lectures on Japanese agricultural cooperatives, and their activities;

4) Study visits to agricultural, financial, and consumers’ cooperatives offices/ distribution centres/stores; and

5) Lectures on Japanese laws and legislation relevant to various cooperatives

Benefits:

• JCCU will provide five fellowships covering domestic costs: accommodation, transportation and lecture fee in Japan. In the event of participants not being able to cover their own international travel costs, the ILO might consider providing air tickets but priorities will be given to candidates with secured financial commitment from their respective organizations.
• The ILO is also providing administrative and technical support

How to apply

Interested participants must submit the following documentation in French :

1) A Curriculum Vitae ( CV ) of the candidate;

2) A brief outline of the organization, explaining the mission , the main location and activities, the annual turnover, the size of organization, the number of staff, the achievements and challenges, and governance structure (including a description of its board);

3) A cover letter, including the rationale for the participation in this study tour and the selection of the candidate, the challenges and future visions of the organization for which the

study tour is needed

4) A description of post-course follow-up activities to share the knowledge, idea and experience gained through the study tour with cooperative colleagues (especially with the

board and management); and