Highlights

Swisscontact has been working in Peru since 1966. Initially, we trained precision engineers for the SENATI National Service for Industrial Training. Over the years, we began implementing additional projects to strengthen SME competitiveness, promote sustainable tourism, and improve energy efficiency and air quality.

Peru is the first country where Swisscontact has been implementing development projects for 50 years without interruption. Our work has developed and evolved continuously according to the country’s evolving needs. “We always try to adapt our work to changes on the ground – for the companies, so that they can better connect to the market; and for the people, who are searching for a better life,” says Jon Bickel, Country Director Peru, Swisscontact.

Swisscontact Peru

Southern Laos was awarded the ‘PATA CEO Challenge Top Destination 2016’ prize. This prestigious award from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) recognizes the region as an up-and-coming tourist destination with a unique cultural heritage. The prize includes a USD 500,000 digital marketing campaign from TripAdvisor.

With the goal of making this destination more attractive to a wider public, and thereby generating more income and employment for disadvantaged populations, Swisscontact launched a Sustainable Tourism Development Project in 2013. It features initiatives in the fields of vocational training, marketing, and destination management. The key element of the project is the creation of a brand that highlights the region’s diversity and relaxed lifestyle. The PATA award serves as affirmation of Southern Laos’ tourism potential.

Swisscontact Laos

Southern Laos: Charming by nature

In February 2016, Swisscontact completed a Strategy 2020 interim review. We have met significant programmatic and administrative objectives in all areas and in some cases even exceeded them. The public has become more aware of our organisation and our sponsors and partners continue to reward us with a high degree of trust. This is in no small measure due to the fact that Swisscontact is committed to the principles of transparency and traceability in all our project results.

We also confirmed our long-term objectives for 2020. Swisscontact will continue to strengthen its risk capacity – in finances as well as in work – improving its competitiveness through innovative approaches and proven results, while continuing to invest in a reliable corporate governance model. This includes a more professional IT and knowledge management system, efficient processes, and high standards for impact assessment and compliance.

CO2 emissions from brick production are among the leading air pollutants in South America. Outdated kilns are damaging the environment and extremely harmful to the health of workers and communities. In 2016, Swisscontact closed out a seven-country project that reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1,047,492 tonnes of CO2 over six years.

Swisscontact helped producers learn about new kiln models and introduced  new firing technologies that improved energy efficiency and productivity. This in turn reduced harmful emissions while saving on expensive fuels and improving production quality. Just by installing a ventilator, brick manufacturers improved output by up to 10% and decreased CO2 emissions by 30%. In addition to the environment, technology suppliers also benefited as they were able to tap into new markets. The manufacturers themselves increased their earnings by reducing costs and making significant quality improvements.
 

Video: Energy Efficiency in Brick Kilns in Latin America program (EELA) (engl.)

Over the last 10 years, over half a million SME businessmen and women in East Africa have benefited from Swisscontact’s financial services programme. Through the programme, they gained access to finance and were able to increase their incomes by an average of 10%.

Access to financial services remains an important consideration in developing countries. It plays an important role for companies seeking to integrate into local and global markets. Swisscontact will therefore be implementing more initiatives to support access to financial services in other projects. For example, training programmes will teache financial skills; in agricultural value chains, access to financial services for producers will be improved.

Read more on Financial Inclusion

Swisscontact’s new knowledge-management concept is based on the strategic “learning organisation” principle. It applies knowledge as a strategic resource and aims to improve the skills of employees as well as the organisation as a whole. Moving forward, the structures will focus on promoting innovation as well as sharing and retaining knowledge.

With our new Intranet, working groups and associations are able to share information across all regions, with thematic networks – with the participation of project staff and experts – forming the knowledge platform.