Better Business, Better Health

Ms. Suwanna Onwantha struggled to start her own business in Thailand. She tried several times without success; her most recent venture was a children’s clothing business. Micro-enterprises like hers—small, owner-run businesses with very little start up money— often lack adequate capital to keep them afloat as they get established.

“Looking back, I was trying to thrive in a declining children’s clothing industry,” she recalled. “To make matters worse, I had no assistance from any governmental agencies as they prefer to help the poorest of the poor or bigger enterprises that have better growth potential.”

But she did not give up. Noticing a growing trend internationally in the dog clothing market, she realized this was a unique niche with very little competition in Bangkok. She also knew that she needed more than her undergraduate degree this time around to keep her business afloat. To succeed in this economy she had to sharpen her business skills.

So when HHD’s Asia office contacted her to apply for the Hewlett Packard Entrepreneurship Learning Program, she readily accepted. The program provides business management training to small, fledgling businesses like hers that have become the backbone of the economy in the region.

Hewlett Packard (HP) turned to EDC’s Health and Human Development division in 2008 to provide workforce development support to micro-enterprises in Asia Pacific. Designated by HP as a Center of Excellence, HHD stepped into the role of managing micro-enterprise development centers throughout the region that are equipped with computers and offer courses in business and technology to help build the skills of entrepreneurs and youth in poor communities. Currently there are 51 Microenterprise Development Centers in Asia Pacific funded by Hewlett Packard.

“Since economic and social conditions have a profound impact on a person’s health and well-being, workforce development is essential in this region,” explains Angela Chen, Director of HHD’s Asia office. “In Asia Pacific, micro-enterprises provide significant employment so it is important that we help people create sustainable businesses.” Chen and her colleagues not only oversee all the micro-enterprise development centers in the region, they also directly manage two micro-enterprise development centers in Bangkok which are part of the Thai Ministry of Education.

Suwanna attended courses at one of the micro-enterprise development centers in Bangkok. She learned how to record her monthly revenues and expenses using Microsoft Excel, how to complete annual tax reports electronically as well as how to create new business plans using computer software. She also took a specialized course in Fashion Design which helped her differentiate her dog clothing products from the current market.

“I attended a comprehensive one-year program which includes business analysis, seminars, financial and computer trainings, as well as business consultation,” explained Suwanna. The skills she learned through the training allowed Suwanna’s business to function smoother.

Her dog clothing business is so successful now that she can hardly keep up with the demand. To help her fill the orders, she has hired neighbors and other people in the community. The company produces 3,600 dog clothing items each day—and more during the holidays. In the near future she hopes to be able to export her dog clothing to overseas markets.