Specialised technical support for small and medium-sized enterprises

Senior Expert Contact (SEC) in Honduras is a programme that connects Honduran small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the desire to grow with high-level experts who, through voluntary assignments, provide specialised technical advice to SMEs in developing countries to overcome structural business obstacles.
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honduras
 
15.199999
-86.241905

In Honduras, the economy depends to a large extent on SMEs, which are fundamental to the economic development of the country. These companies generate approximately 70% of total employment, and many of them are led by women, who play an essential role in strengthening entrepreneurship and improving the well-being of their families. Through their work, SMEs contribute not only to the economy, but also to the economic autonomy of women, a key aspect for equity and social development.

Furthermore, they contribute almost 44% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and are considered the backbone of the economy. However, 85% of start-ups do not survive the first five years of operation, as they are hampered by access to resources, productivity and limited capacity for innovation.

With the SEC programme, SMEs will be able to draw on the vast experience of volunteer experts, who will share their knowledge through an advisory service that provides tools aimed at overcoming challenges and improving quality, productivity and efficiency, in order to unlock the potential for growth and better integration of SMEs into global value chains.

The project

The contributions of our SEC experts create:

  • Improvements in product quality
  • More efficient workflows
  • Improvements in working conditions
  • Greater competitiveness in the local market
  • Job creation
  • Poverty reduction

Project goals

It guarantees the long-term sustainability of expert assignments and ongoing support for Honduran SMEs. A key element of the project is the development of a business model and the promotion of knowledge sharing.

Expected Results

Every year, senior Swiss experts will carry out consultancy missions for Honduran SMEs and institutions.

Currently, more than 700 highly qualified professionals, most of them retired, contribute their valuable knowledge and professional experience. Expertise varies from agriculture, hospitality, marketing, among other areas, which will benefit from the interventions of our experts. 

Since 1979, SEC has organised and supervised more than 3,000 consulting interventions. Our experts have contributed nearly 1.2 billion hours of volunteer service. This is equivalent to approximately 45 million Swiss francs.

Financing partners

This project is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.