Handwerkskammer Koblenz

The Project
Since 1 March 2003 the Handwerkskammer Koblenz and the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) work together in a partnership project. It is financially supported by the German Government (Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, BMZ) and administerd through the Foundation for Economic Development and Vocational Training (SEQUA, Bonn).

In May 2003 a project office (CDP = Chamber Development Project) was set up in FCCISL headquarters in Colombo.

Aims
The partnership project contributes to the improvement of employment and income in the small and medium-sized enterprises of the country by improving services demanded by SMEs from selected chambers. To this end, activities in vocational training and setting up services for SMEs at the country's chambers are being organised.

Results

The project has so far achieved the following results:

-Establishment of a national chamber for the handicrafts sector (National Chamber of Handicrafts of Sri Lanka, NCHSL) and developing several services for its members

-Establishment of helpdesks as service points for the Tsunami-affected enterprises in ten regional chambers

-The establishment of vocational training centers in the construction industry at Kaluthara and Galle has started

- Improved networking among the chambers in the country

Duration
The current second phase of the project lasts from 1 March 2006 to 28 February 2009

The Partners

Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL)
FCCISL, leading partner of the project, is an umbrella organisation of at the moment 50 chambers and associations of Sri Lanka and is engaged in the matters concerning SMEs since many years.

National Chamber of Handicrafts of Sri Lanka (NCHSL) is a private sector representative body for the handicrafts industry of Sri Lanka.

National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL) is the representative body of almost 3.000 construction companies in Sri Lanka.

Handwerkskammer Koblenz is a self-governing organisation of the skilled crafts and as such partner of about 17,500 businesses in the north of the German State of Rheinland-Pfalz. It works on all aspects of economic conditions, the development of the regions, politics of vocational education, future technologies, the environment and the European market on behalf of its members. As a service center it supports its member businesses in fields like business consulting, public relations for the skilled crafts, vocational training and further training or technology transfer. Apart from that, the Handwerkskammer Koblenz conducts projects of economic cooperation in 12 countries worldwide.

For more information: www.hwk-koblenz.de