They train more than 200 MSMEs led by women and vulnerable populations in UNPHU

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and MSMEs (MICM), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU), through its MSME Center, impacted more than 200 businesses led by women and vulnerable populations, through training, accompaniment and technical assistance that allow them to achieve their economic recovery after the crisis generated by COVID-19.

As part of a strategy for the sustainable recovery of MSMEs, UNDP, MICM and the MSME Center of UNPHU, partnered to implement three methodologies aimed at strengthening the capacities of entrepreneurs: Inclusive Socioeconomic Recovery Program, aimed at vulnerable populations, Female Entrepreneurship, aimed at micro entrepreneurs, and Green MSMEs, aimed at small environmentally sustainable enterprises.

 During the graduation ceremony, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs, Víctor Ito Bisonó, addressed the graduates of the different programs. While UNDP resident representative Inka Mattila highlighted the importance of MSMEs for the country’s socio-economic recovery. “Using concrete methods and tools and our global knowledge network, together with institutional partners, we increase the socioeconomic resilience and entrepreneurship capacities of MSMEs and entrepreneurs led by women and entrepreneurs most vulnerable to the negative impact on their livelihoods due to the COVID-19 crisis.”

Similarly, Dr. Dolly Martínez, director of the Environmental and Natural Resources Directorate of UNPHU, said: “We are proud to be an institution of higher education that intervenes and forms part of the economic and social development of our country.  With the United Nations Development Program, timely action was possible to help keep afloat the small and medium-sized vessels that constitute the backbone of our economy.

The recovery program worked on three basic components: restructuring business models to make them viable and adaptable, focusing on MSMEs led by entrepreneurs from vulnerable groups (people with disabilities, LGBTIQ people and migrants).

The second component was able to strengthen women-led MSMEs through a training cycle with comprehensive advice, support to promote business sustainability, promotion of financial management and access to credit, strengthening networking, brand registration, innovation and productivity management.

The third aspect of the project generated the inclusive, resilient and sustainable capacities of SMEs in the Dominican Republic, through the implementation of the “Get Started” program, through a series of practical guides with tools that can be shared easily and provide remote training to business owners, with the aim of helping them change their sales strategies by adding a digital component that allows them to cope with the health emergency situation due to COVID-19. 

The panel of honor was composed of Inka Mattila, representative of UNDP; Víctor Ito Bisonó, Minister of Industry and Commerce and MSMEs of the Dominican Republic; Rubí Rafael Bretón, director of Centro Pymes and UNPHU Emprende; Dolly Martínez, director of the Environmental Directorate and Awilda Florencio, Manager of Innovation and Non-Financial Services for SMEs, Banco BHD León.  

The event took place on Tuesday, May 24, at the Horacio Álvarez Auditorium of UNPHU, at 4:00 pm.