The project "Enhancing the Inclusive Digital Transformation Ecosystem for Small and Medium Enterprises" (IDAP) in the two provinces of Lào Cai and Sơn La has just been officially launched. Ethnic minority women will be placed at the center of the support activities.
Supporting Digital Transformation for Small and Medium Enterprises in Lào Cai and Sơn La Provinces – Image 1
Ethnic minority women, who often face disadvantages in economic development, especially in digital transformation, will be placed at the center of the support activities.
The project is implemented by KisStartup, with funding from GREAT (Gender Equality through Enhancing Economic Effectiveness in Agricultural Production and Tourism Development in Lào Cai and Sơn La) by the Australian Government.
The IDAP project aims to promote digital transformation for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Lào Cai and Sơn La from 2024 to 2027, with a focus on agriculture and tourism.
The IDAP project focuses on supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises led by ethnic minority women, including registered SMEs, cooperatives, homestays, business households, and startup projects.
One key distinction of this project is that it does not provide direct cash funding to beneficiaries, nor does it simply offer digital transformation skills and tools. Instead, it approaches the ecosystem with a market systems perspective, ensuring inclusivity and sustainability for the entire business ecosystem.
The project focuses on enhancing the capacity of stakeholders through training, practical support for businesses, integrating into training programs, adapting and updating training materials for digital transformation, and strengthening connections with businesses and other components of the local, national, and international digital transformation ecosystem.
This not only helps businesses improve revenue and expand markets through online channels but also provides opportunities for them to effectively utilize digital transformation solutions, especially for ethnic minority women leading businesses, connecting them with service providers and support organizations to increase business effectiveness through digital transformation.
GREAT is an Australian Government investment program aimed at enhancing the economic and social empowerment of ethnic minority women in Lào Cai and Sơn La provinces.
The first phase of GREAT was implemented from 2017-2022, and the second phase (GREAT 2) will run from 2022-2027, with a total investment of 67.4 million AUD from the Australian Government.
Since 2017, the program has contributed to improving the position of women within their families, communities, and the production-business environment through interventions aimed at enhancing their skills and confidence.
Building on these achievements, GREAT 2 aims to sustainably enhance the economic empowerment of a large number of ethnic minority women in Sơn La and Lào Cai.
To achieve this, GREAT 2 focuses on identifying specific opportunities that help ethnic minority women improve their economic and social capacities. Additionally, the project collaborates with public and private sector organizations to build and maintain more advanced and inclusive ways of working.
Hoàng Giang
Source: Government Electronic Newspaper
