Laos

Projects

Digital Literacy Initiative Laos

The Digital Literacy Initiative (DLI) aims to better prepare youth for productive activities in the digital economy through basic coding and programming lessons, coding clubs and digital entrepreneurship courses for students of upper secondary schools and TVET (technical and vocational education and training) colleges.

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Sustainable Consumption and Production in Lao PDR (SCP Lao)

The goal of the project is to enable environmental Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), particularly those focusing on youth and women, to contribute to green and inclusive economic growth in the Lao PDR. This will be achieved by strengthening their capacities in three main areas: policy dialogue, awareness raising, and income generation.

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Vocational Training and Employment Support Services in Laos

The VTESS project aims at vocational training and labour market insertion or re-entering of schooling of the main project beneficiaries, who are people between 15 and 35 years of age, have completed primary and/ or lower secondary education only (early school leavers), and are subjected to income poverty. The main objective of the project is to improve the income and, ultimately, the livelihood of its beneficiaries.

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Waste to Value

Swisscontact's Waste to Value project strengthens the environmental performance in service sector SMEs (hotels, restaurants, cafés and mini-marts) by improving their waste management practices and access to green products. The project further strengthens business operations and improves workplace safety for informal waste pickers increasing their income and quality of livelihood. This is complemented with awareness raising among service sector SMEs and the wider population along with encouraging public-private consultation meetings in the Lao PDR in line with national and municipal government strategies.

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News

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30.10.2024

Swisscontact shares insights at ASEAN Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution 2024

Swisscontact collaborated on several sessions with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Conference on Combatting Plastic Pollution. The event brings together stakeholders from across ASEAN member states to exchange knowledge and strengthen regional cooperation in addressing plastic pollution. Michael Fink, Country Director in Laos, led the session and panel discussion on "Promoting Circular Economy toward better work conditions for Informal Waste Workers" and was a panelist in the session "pioneering the paradigm shift to phase out of plastic pollution".

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15.10.2024

MoU Signing for VTESS Phase 2: Expanding Vocational Training and Employment Support

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Department of Technical Vocational Education & Training (DTVET), Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES), and Swisscontact Lao PDR, formally marking the start of the project’s second phase. The signing was conducted by Mr. Vilayphone Phommahaxay, Acting Director General of the TVET Department, Ministry of Education and Sports, and Mr. Michael Fink, the Country Director of Swisscontact Lao PDR, witnessed by representatives from line ministries of Lao PDR.

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09.07.2024

Southeast Asia Regional Report 2023 - 2024

Southeast Asia is one of the most dynamic regions of the world, experiencing long periods of economic progress and poverty reduction. Regional prosperity is based on private sector growth, foreign investment and outward looking policies on trade, tourism and migration. In the region, we work with governments in areas like regenerative agriculture, export promotion and dual vocational training. In doing so, we amplify our results through working with the private sector in adapting new business models to include disadvantaged groups of society, raising skills standards in key sectors such as agriculture mechanisation, entrepreneurship promotion and hospitality. This is what we achieved in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and Vietnam in 2023.

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Country Director

Michael Fink

OUR INTERVENTIONS

The private sector drives economic development by creating income and jobs. Swisscontact Laos collaborates closely with the local private sector to strengthen the country's existing social and economic structures. We see development as the foundation for making economies and the people who live in them more resilient.

Vocational education and training, as well as labor market insertion, are central to our work in Laos. We improve people's skills and provide opportunities for a secure income and active participation in society. We focus on the service sector for sustainable development in order to create green jobs, increase income, and promote economic well-being without negatively harming the environment.

10 years creating opportunities in Lao PDR

Where did we come from and where do we go

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Pheun Than Heng A Sip Training Programme

The tourism and hospitality sector in Lao PDR has expanded rapidly in recent years and the trend is set to continue. Tourism and hospitality services often drive revenues for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in rural areas, which in turn can provide the livelihood for people from poor backgrounds. However, often...

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Economically strong regions through sustainable tourism (MIGIP Laos)

The objective of the project is to introduce new models for promoting localities that involve the social, environmental, and economic needs of local populations while creating additional income and jobs.Despite high and sustained economic growth, Laos remains one of the UN’s “Least Developed Countries” – one third of the population lives...

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Team

The abilities and readiness for action of our employees are decisive for our projects’ ability to achieve sustainable impact, as well as our long-term success. As an attractive employer, Swisscontact invests in a positive management and work culture. This is defined by our fundamental understanding of development intended to serve not only our beneficiaries in project countries but our employees as well.

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Services

Swisscontact’s core business is the implementation of projects funded by bilateral, multi-lateral and private sector donors.

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Jobs

Motivated and productive employees with initiative constitute the most important success factor in all areas of our work. We count on individuals who are looking to the future, impact- and team-oriented, and want to work in international development cooperation.

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