Representatives from diverse businesses in Siem Reap attended ODC’s training on business and digital literacy

On 11 June 2024, Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC) conducted a full-day training session in Siem Reap city, Siem Reap province, for the project “Strengthening Informal Economies and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Cambodia through Open Data and Digital Literacy,” funded by the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). It is noticeable that the training was consecutively conducted in four different geographical locations including Phnom Penh​ capital, Mondulkiri province, Kampot province, and Siem Reap province. The training in Siem Reap was the fourth and final session for the project, attended by 18 representatives from SMEs and informal economies in Siem Reap city and some districts, of whom 13 were females and 5 were males, including one person with disabilities. These representatives came from diverse sectors such as beauty salons, retail and wholesale, pharmacies, plant businesses, motorcycle shops, and more.

The event began with a welcome and opening remarks from Mr. THY Try, Executive Director at ODC. He welcomed all participants to the training for knowledge and capacity building in business, especially in aspects related to laws and digital use for their business advantage. He also mentioned the significant contribution of SMEs and informal economies to the national economy as well as the participation of women entrepreneurs through local job creation, local product and service supplies, as well as income generation. He emphasized that this was an exciting opportunity for the participants to discuss, consult, and share with fellow participants and trainers from specialized law firms and the ODC team specialized in digital and social media.

Following the remarks, the participants learned more about the rationale behind the event and the overall picture of the project. The full-day training covered three topics: 1) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Business Planning by Ms. SREY Nak, Business Development Partner & CSR Specialist at Sarana Law Firm; 2) Digital Safety Tips by Mr. SAM AN Mardy, Information Technology and Website Manager at ODC; and 3) Social Media Content Creation by Mr. NAY Maneth, Communications Manager at ODC.

Before the training began, participants were required to take a pre-test to assess their knowledge prior to the training. In the first session, they expressed interest in consumer protection, business contributions to environmental and natural resource protection, the definition of SMEs, and more. Furthermore, they reflected on their business plans using Business Canvas and provided examples related to quality control, the use of local products, packaging, and consumer health considerations. They also discussed the importance of business registration as a way to protect their business’s intellectual property. In the second presentation, they took a quiz and learned about data protection and safety on digital tools through setting strong passwords and using virtual private networks (VPNs). In the last presentation, they learned creative techniques for advertising their business online to attract more customers.

After all the sessions, the participants took the same test again used to compare their understanding before and after the training. They also completed an evaluation form for the training, aimed at improving the project’s implementation. Through this evaluation, they expressed their satisfaction with the trainers’ clear explanations and the new knowledge they gained. They also highlighted their business challenges, including a lack of capital, sales and marketing, competition, taxation, and the impact of the global economy. Furthermore, they were invited to join an ODC Telegram group to access training materials and receive related information and other opportunities.