Swisscontact Worldwide

Swisscontact is currently implementing a variety of projects throughout Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. Please check out www.swisscontact.org to get more details on the different projects.

Africa:
Supporting  vocational training systems and local economic development in West Africa (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin), in addition to promoting small and medium enterprises and offering micro finance services in southern and eastern Africa (South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) are the key focal points of the Africa program. By implementing these programs, Swisscontact is tackling youth unemployment, which is one of the most serious problems currently threatening the continent, and one of the reasons for extremism and migration.

Asia:
Providing vocational training (Bangladesh, Nepal , Indonesia) is a tradition at Swisscontact. A more recent innovation has been the integrated application of local economic development (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka , Indonesia): small-scale markets should continue to develop, thus reducing poverty in their own neighborhoods and drawing the adjacent regions into the positive cycle. Another key area of our focus is sustainable economic and social development in areas affected by the 2004 Tsunami.

South America:
In Bolivia , Ecuador , Peru and Colombia Swisscontact is running projects on environmental protection, vocational training, the promotion of small- and medium-sized enterprises, and financial services. By far the most important objective is to create a better environment for small businesses, which are the most important employers and are, therefore, crucial in the fight against poverty. In addition, sustainable tourism is being actively encouraged in Bolivia.

Central America:
In El Salvador , Honduras and Nicaragua Swisscontact is promoting the market for small-and medium-sized enterprise services, in particular through further education courses. Small businesses are important employers and strengthening them is an effective weapon in the fight against poverty. In El Salvador, a vocational training project is carried out, which is designed to make it easier for young people to get a toe hold in the job market, and will also help to combat the rampant criminality. A new project on vocational education and training has started in Guatemala from 2010.

Eastern Europe:
Through educational initiatives at various levels, Swisscontact is tackling unemployment in Albania and Kosovo. From basic technical courses to country-wide reforms of vocational training and development, the projects being implemented share a common goal: to provide the private sector with a qualified and proactive workforce.