5.10.2015
CCDKM AND NBTC Boost Empowerment for Rural Women in Lampang Province through Smart SME Business.
The Research Center of Communication and Development Knowledge Management (CCDKM) and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) join forces to strengthen Thai rural women’s capacities in Smart SME Business solutions.
In Thailand, 2.7 million SMEs account for 98.5% of total businesses, employing 11.8 million people or about 80% of the workforce. SMEs are indispensable in economic development, creating opportunities for income generation and distribution, poverty reduction and people’s empowerment, especially for women.
Under the USO NET (Universal Services Obligation) initiative, NBTC and CCDKM organized and will deliver in October and November, a series of training workshops for rural women entrepreneurs in three provinces in the North of Thailand (Lampang, Chiangrai and Srisake).
The first five-day training workshop is starting today in Lampang Province at the USO NET training center hosted by the Ministry of Human and Social Affairs. The objective is to raise awareness on the benefits of entrepreneurship among women living and working in the digital economy and empowering them with the skills and competencies needed to promote and sell their products online, reach new markets and join international supply chains.
30 rural women entrepreneurs who have joined the training workshop recognize that the Internet defines the 21st century business environment and is an enabler of development. They are also aware that unless they master the right skills to access and use new ICTs to access both local, regional and foreign markets, they will be left behind and be caught in the social, economic and technological divide.
The initial product categories promoted by the Lampang women’s group include textiles, retail, leather accessories, food, among others. Online marketing and sales techniques, web-development, product pictures and e-commerce solutions, among others, were identified as the main skills needed to overcome logistical and geographic challenges, especially for members of tribes living in mountainous areas.
