Serena Mountain Village,Arusha, Tanzania

Image via theserenaexperience.com

BY DR. WOLFGANG H.THOME, APR 17, 2013

The Kampala Serena Hotel will be East Africa�s leading hospitality group�s second property to host a new training initiative, first rolled out at the Polana Serena in Mozambique, where it was termed a huge success.

Serena Hotels and DEG, a German government-owned investment development agency, has partnered to work with at least 120 young trainees over the coming two years, introducing them to the top level of hospitality as is available in Eastern Africa.

Under the partnership agreement, Serena Hotels has so far successfully implemented the initiative in Mozambique�s Polana Serena Hotel, and will this coming Monday, April 22, roll out a similar initiative in Uganda�s Kampala Serena Hotel before going into Rwanda for a similar exercise. Through Serena�s participation, the staff is set to gain valuable skills in hospitality, written and spoken French, while four hospitality colleges will each nominate 4 students quarterly to undertake the program in internships. During the 3-month period, the students will not only receive added skills training in hospitality, but also be covered against injuries while at work, courtesy of Kampala Serena Hotel.

The project will be implemented in 3 phases with phase one involving design and implementation of training programs for the different interns from the hospitality institutions. Phase 2 of the project will involve the evaluation and consolidation of training structures, while the third phase which is also in agreement with the overall project object, will see to the improvement of vocational training in the gastronomical sector.

The trainings will be conducted by Lets Sell Lobster, a South African firm specializing in training staff of Africa's finest hotels, resorts, safari lodges, and restaurants. The company�s business involves inspiring and empowering staff, from junior to senior levels, in service areas including food, wine, housekeeping, and reception, while providing a holistic approach to the art of 5-star services.

Through the use of various training instruments, Lets Sell Lobster will additionally employ the use of e-learning platforms, conduct a general training program with theoretical and practical evaluations, and train select supervisors in its �train-the-trainer� program who will in the end get opportunities for intensive exposure training in other 5-star hotels. Serena Hotels, together with other institutional partners in Mozambique, Rwanda, and Uganda, will support the project�s vocational/internship training structures to ensure the full realization of its objectives and develop the corresponding capacity of institutions in East Africa.

What Serena Hotels hope to achieve from this project is to open the world of hospitality training to as many students as possible, and it is expected that by the end of the program, at least 120 students will have benefited from this project.

Mahmoud JanMohamed, the CEO and Managing Director of Serena Hotels, was quoted to have said ahead of the Kampala launch: �Serena Hotels places great importance on human resource development and the equitable and fair treatment of its employees, and that as a growing employer of young people in East Africa and Mozambique, it will seek to realize its Corporate Social Responsibility Mission through the creation of training, internships, and employment opportunities that will improve the professional lives of its members of staff and the youth in hospitality institutions. It is our hope that this framework will become a model for other industries that will unlock a new set of resources and expertise in Africa�s youth.�

The first phase of the ambitious renovation scheme for Serena Mountain Village, Arusha, has been completed. The new public area incorporates the reception, lounge, library, restaurant, boutique and business center. Imposing in stature and spacious in concept, the design of the new building echoes the hotel's original incarnation as a working coffee farm dating back to colonial times is modeled on a traditional 'settler' theme, melding dark rafters, wooden corbels and polished floors with an eclectic mix of antique furniture, wrought iron chandeliers and a veritable jackdaw's hoard of settler bric-a-brac from down the years. The new lodge features a charming selection of safari fashions, books and travel requisites while at the same time it offers modern global communication and connectivity for the business traveler.

Serena Mountain Village, which was built in 1989 and came under Serena management in 2000, offers a charming lakeside location, lush grounds and 42 rooms, all of which are situated in village clusters of thatched cottages with vistas over banks of rainbow-hued bougainvillea descending gently to the tranquil waters of Lake Duluti. Guests can take advantage of canoeing on the lake, bird and nature walks, mountain biking and a fascinating tour and tasting session at the nearby coffee estate.

The second-phase of renovation promises a complete refurbishment of all our rooms (including bedside global connectivity and satellite TV), a world-class rooftop conference facility, six executive and two presidential suites and a state-of-the-art swimming pool. [email protected], www.serenahotels.com