SMEs and informal economies gathered together learning about business and digital

2 January 2024
Economy and commerce / Education and training / SMEs policy and regulation
business registration / Digital literacy / informal economy / small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

Open Development Cambodia Organization (ODC) hosted a full-day training session on December 22, 2023, in Phnom Penh, gathering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and participants from informal economies, which a total of 28 individuals attended, including 16 females and one indigenous participant. This session was part of the project “Strengthening Informal Economies and SMEs in Cambodia through Open Data and Digital Literacy,” funded by the Center of International Private Enterprise (CIPE).

The event commenced with welcome remarks from Mr. THY Try, Executive Director of ODC. He emphasized that it was the first meeting between ODC and the private sector, specifically engaging SMEs. Mr. Try outlined key objectives, including raising awareness of relevant policies and conducting panel discussions to learn about sector challenges. In his speech, he also linked SMEs with policy documents, notably the Pentagonal Strategy – Phase 1 on Pentagon 3, focusing on Private Sector and Employment Development. In addition to this, he referred to Pentagon 5, highlighting Digital Economy and Society Development, emphasizing the indispensable nature of digital utilization in the present and future.

Following this, participants were introduced to both implemented and upcoming activities of the project. The training covered four main topics:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Business Registration Process, presented by Ms. SREY Nak, Business Development Partner & CSR Specialist at Sarana Law Firm
Tax Compliance, delivered by Mrs. CHANTHA Marinet, Tax Manager at HLB Audit & Partners Co., Ltd
Social Media Content and Boosting, presented by Mr. NAY Maneth, Communications Manager at ODC
Internet Safety Tips, led by Mr. SEUN Vichra, Web Development and IT Officer at ODC.

Throughout the session, active engagement was observed as participants discussed challenges, such as environmentally friendly packaging expenses for small businesses and queries about tax calculations and digital technicalities. On top of learning experience, the event facilitated networking opportunities among participants.

After the training, an evaluation survey was distributed, receiving feedback from 16 respondents. 56.3% indicated that the training almost met their expectations, while 60% rated the topics and trainers’ performances as good. Taking this time, ODC expressed gratitude to SARANA Law Firm, HLB Audit & Partners, and the ODC team for their contributions and to all participants for their active engagement and time. After the training in Phnom Penh, ODC will host additional training sessions in two provinces. This initiative aims to provide SMEs and informal economies, particularly indigenous peoples, with learning opportunities and capacity building to help grow their businesses.