ALLPI Conducted a ToT Training on Leather Manufacturing and Transformative Entrepreneurship in Eritrea

Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) in collboration of the Ministry of Trade and Industry of the State of Eritrea conducted a Training of Trainers in “Footwear and leather good Design,Craftsmanship, Export Readiness, Transformative Entrepreneurship, Costing and Record Keeping” during 19^th July – 1^st August 2023 in Asmara, Eritrea.

The objective of the training was to:

1. Enhance SMEs knowledge landscap on Leather Footwear Design, Craftsmanship and Exports Readiness;
2. Facilitate SMEs growth through Shifting their Mindset and Embrace Changes;
3. Enhance MSMEs technical capacity and economies of scale to supply both Public and Private Sector institutional buyers;
4. Promote replication through knowledge sharing &dissemination.
5. Assisting SMEs understand the importance of correct and effective record keeping.
6. Control costs, make decisions and plan for future;
7. Set appropriate prices to make justifiable profit;

A total of 30 leather-based SME representatives from Asmara, Eritrea have attended the ToT program. The training is part of the technical assistance grant of the BADEA Project activity.

Mr. Tadesse W/Yohannis, Director General of Industry in the Ministry of Trade Industry of the State of Eritrea, in his speech during the Graduation Day, underscored that ALLPI has supported the Eritrean leather sector in crafting the leather value chain strategy, designing of curriculum of diploma program in the leather footwear and leather goods manufacturing. However, Mr. Tadesse did not hide that most of the activities in the strategy have not been materialized due to various factors. Mr. Tadesse extended that this ToT training has happened just few days after the cluster development training program and the Asmara Cluster is on the verge of being established. Mr. Tadesse finally thanked ALLPI for conducting the training and BADEA for the financial support. In addition, he thanked the Trainers, Mr. Feraw, Dr. Abdelrahim, Mr. Preston, Mrs. Birkinesh, Mr. Awlachew, and Mr. Mickael. He also thanked the Prof. Tesfaye Haile, the Managing Director of SMAP for his diligently sharing his knowledge and experience to SMEs on Transformative entrepreneurship. He then thanked all those who participated in the preparation of the venue and any logistic arrangements towards the realization of the training. Finally, Mr. Tadesse thanked the trainees for their punctuality, patience, and wished them a successful business in the future.