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Swisscontact in Ecuador 1973 - 2019

There are only a few countries where Swisscontact was present longer than in Ecuador.  For 45 years Swisscontact has supported the country in its efforts to develop. Swisscontact closed its country office as of January 2020. This does not mean that we will not work anymore in Ecuador in the future. We welcome new opportunities to contribute to the country's well-being, for example through the inclusion of Ecuador in regional projects. In a series of videos, partners, employees and customers look back. They tell how the impact of the projects is still visible today.

Timeline

Training of agromechanics

1973

An evaluation revealed that the training of agromechanics and construction machinery mechanics was an urgent need.
This evaluation also marked the beginning of the decades of partnership between Swisscontact and SECAP.

Inauguration ceremony of the instructor training

1974

On 18 November, Swisscontact started the first instructor training. One year later, several different training courses already existed, from basic education to mobile training courses for the maintenance of tractors.

Demonstration of the animal-drawn plough on the field

1981

Swisscontact introduced a new type of animal ploughs and had hundreds of them produced locally.

Service truck for mobile training courses throughout the country

1983

Swisscontact handed over the project to local organisations and withdrew from Ecuador for several years.

SEC assignment of Raphael Perler at a cheese dairy in Ecuador (2004)

1986

Swisscontact was again present in Ecuador. In addition to initial project clarifications, two assignments of the Senior Expert Corps in a wool spinning mill and a rice mill were conducted.

Carlos Brasero, owner a metalworking workshop in Quito, received technical assistance from the PROFOPEM project

1987

The "Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises" (PROFOPEM) project was launched.

Support of metalworking sector

1988

The purpose of the PROFOPEM project was to strengthen the metalworking industry by developing business support services. At that time already, Swisscontact was supporting local savings and loan cooperatives.

One component of the project resumed the sale of soil-preserving agricultural equipment.

The gender project aimed to unfold the potential of women working in leading positions in SMEs.

1994

The total volume of the project was doubled. The project, previously limited to the metals sector, now also included wood and leather/shoes.

Women entrepreneurs were given special support through a separate project, which lasted six years.

FOPI introduced dual components into the vocational training system and strengthened the dialogue between enterprises and schools.

1994

The project PROFOPI aimed to promote vocational training in Ecuador. It focused on strengthening existing schools and programs, in order to achieve their institutional and financial sustainability, and to insert them into the National Vocational Training System SNFP.

Sketch of a waste water treatment plant

1996

Swisscontact starts to implement a new project with the goal to reduce industrial emissions. Interventions take place in various areas, for example in electroplating. They aim at reducing solvents in paints and at professional disposal of lubricating oil and industrial sludge.

The main goal of the project was to improve the access of the rural population, especially of SMEs, to financial services.

1998

The support of savings and loan cooperatives became a separate project and remained a core area of Swisscontact's activities in Ecuador for the next 12 years.

During all these years Swisscontact supported various sectors.

1999

After 11 years, the project for SME promotion comes to an end.

Swisscontact worked in various value chains, among them chilli for tobasco sauce.

2002

Swisscontact started to work in value chain development in Ecuador. A first project in this area improved market access for disadvantaged groups by promoting and strengthening links between value chain actors and lowering transaction costs.

Swisscontact always promoted the introduction of new technologies in its projects.

2006

Additional projects for strengthening the savings and credit cooperatives were introduced. They focused on the implementation of communal microcredit in the savings and credit cooperatives, or on the rural population receiving remittances.

Improved kilns, air injection systems and machinery, along with better production practices have helped to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

2010

In several Latin American countries, among them Ecuador, Swisscontact implemented a programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in local brick factories by promoting market validated technology to improve based on energy efficiency and exchange of experiences in different countries, as well as impact on national policy.

Coffee tasting in Catamayo

2013

EMPRENDE is a project to promote inclusive value chains and small farming families. It aims to improve productivity and quality in coffee and cocoa farming.

Fermentation of cocoa beans

2015

Through the FINCA project, Swisscontact supports cocoa farmers in cultivating the high-quality fine cocoa of the CNA variety in sufficient quantities and organic quality. The project specifically focuses on the approach of dynamic agroforestry.

2019

Swisscontact closes its office in Ecuador after 45 years.

Videos