A brief history of the SIYB Regional Programme

1970’s: The SIYB programme originates from “Look After Your Firm”
SIYB originated from business management training materials called "Look After Your Firm" which had been developed by the Swedish Employers' Confederation. During the late 1970's, the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) funded an ILO project which adapted these materials to suit the needs of small entrepreneurs in developing countries. This new material was named “Improve Your Business” (IYB). At the same time, the ILO developed a specific training methodology, which was based on participatory learning and with an action oriented approach. The IYB training materials and methodology together became the IYB programme.
1983: IYB is introduced to Africa

In 1983, the ILO established the IYB Regional Project Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. SIDA funded that project, and has done so ever since. That project introduced IYB in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The project office later moved to Harare, Zimbabwe in 1988 where it is still based. In the years following this move, IYB was also introduced to Angola, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa. The IYB programme is now available in 16 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa region.
The existing range of IYB materials was further adapted to the African context and now called IYB Basics.

1996: SYB is Introduced to Eastern and Southern Africa
The implementation of the Improve Your Business programme later gave rise to the need to develop and business start up package. Feedback had been received that for one to improve their business, it must have been started at some point, or at least it must be operational. In response to this feedback, the ILO project developed the Start Your Business (SYB) package in 1996 to cater for the needs for business start-ups. From August 1996, the IYB programme was now being offered by local institutions and training providers without financial assistance from the ILO Regional Project. SYB was introduced on a pilot basis in three countries, namely Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

1998: Integrated SIYB programme
The success of the first SYB pilot phase resulted in a new project agreement between SIDA and ILO to introduce the SYB programme to three more countries (Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania) and to strengthen the existing programme structures in the three countries covered during the first SYB project phase. Furthermore, the ILO linked the SYB to IYB. The result became an integrated SIYB programme which catered for both start-ups and existing entrepreneurs.

Project Countries:
SIYB is a truly global programme that works and operates in many countries and continents as shown in this


Over the years, the Regional Project Office has introduced the SIYB programme to the following countries in Africa; Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana and other countries.

How to access SIYB
To obtain further information about the SIYB programme, please contact:
ILO-SIYB Regional Project Office for Eastern and Southern Africa
101 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue
P. O. Box 3474
Harare, Zimbabwe
secretariat@ilosiyb.co.zw