Asia Foundation / Give2Asia (April 2013-April 2014)

Because of their size, micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are extremely vulnerable to major political, economic or environmental changes in their business environments.

The floods of 2011, which devastated central Thailand, caused huge losses among its small businesses, with many entrepreneurs and managers caught without business continuity plans to ensure their continued operation in the face of disaster. To ensure that MSMEs are better prepared in the future, Kenan started the Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning Flood Recovery (REAL Flood Recovery) project, funded by the Asia Foundation’s Give2Asia program. Consultants provided trainings and workshops, as well as technical assistance, to 100 SME owners in the flood-affected provinces of Ayutthaya, Pathumthani, and Nonthaburi. The three- day training courses used an active-learning approach and focus on building business skills and financial management, with an emphasis on business continuity planning. Other lessons included how to prepare business plans for flood recovery loan applications and how to identify business opportunities following a natural disaster.