Under the Project on “Creating One Stop Shop for sustainable businesses”; funded by UN women, the Palestinian Shippers’ Council (PSC) succeeded to make significant contribution in building the Capacities of 45 Women owned MSMEs in the West Bank and Gaza, whom are the beneficiaries of the Project. The Role of the PSC was as illustrated in the below main points.
The PSC conducted the following Training Workshops in West Bank and Gaza:
- Three days training workshop on as an Introduction on International Trade, that covered topics which included the Importance of international trade, economic indicators of international trade, risks associated with international trade. In addition to Types of shipping, containers, obligations of international trade.
-
- Three days training workshop on Export Management, and covered topics that included How to evaluate, research and select market to export to, in addition to Negotiations Skills, Quality assurance and management, pricing.
-
- Three days training workshop on Trade Facilitation, covering topics that included Bill of lading, needed permits and certificates, insurance, Certificate of origin, customs clearance, and exports and imports.
-
- Three days training workshop on Distribution Channels, Covering topics that included types of distribution channels, Retailing, Wholesaling, and Designing and selecting appropriate distribution channels.
- Conducting a raw mapping material exercise which aimed to evaluate the raw materials used by MSMEs and to find substitutes for them to use. The exercise was done by conducting focus groups to all 45 MSMEs to learn more about their products and the raw materials used in these products, then MSMEs were divided into 4 groups depending on the product family (soap, embroidery, jewelry, handicrafts; and finally an evaluation of their current products was made based on a selection of 3-5 items of their own products; this evaluation and analysis depended on the following:
- Quantity of raw materials needed to produce items for a period of 6 months.
- Raw materials are locally purchased or are imported or brought from outside the country through different channels.
- Availability of an alternative of an importable source
- the cost and selling price of their final products
- Provided technical support for MSMEs to import the raw material they need for their products with the aim to reduce their costs.
- PSC searched for potential suppliers abroad to import raw materials for MSMEs.
- Prepared a list of local and international importers to facilitate the import process on the MSMEs, and to enable them find local and international suppliers easily.
- Linked MSMEs with the local retailers
- PSC conducted one to one meeting with all MSMEs and made calculations with them, for their breakeven point and profit margin, and gave them advice regarding matters that will increase their profitability, reduce their, costs, or increase their sales and negotiated alternatives.
- Towards transferring the unofficial bodies into official MSMEs, the PSC succeeded to register 20 of the MEMEs as traders at the Ministry of National Economy, 1 as a company; additionally 19 were registered at the Chambers of commerce each in its location, and helped 4 MSMEs to register a brand. Also; the PSC helped the MSMEs get the permits and certificates needed after making the necessary registration and quality tests and helped them to issue specific certifications and tests as requested by the Palestinian Laws at different places such as Ministry of Health and Palestinian Institute standards.
- PSC supported MSMEs in their shipping and custom clearance services.
Donor: UN women
Status: Completed 2017