Alumni

Director, Department of Development Finance, Ministry of Finance, Columbo-01, Sri Lanka

Microfinance for Small and Medium–sized Enterprises (SMEs) Development in Asia Pacific Region:April 25-May 6, 2016

The training course was very useful to us because we are the focal point dealing with SME development and microfinance. Basically, Ministry of Finance is focusing on regulating of microfinance and SME sector. Therefore this training course  was very inspiring and useful. I think it would be more useful to expand our services for the country for the development of finance and SME sector.

This training course has exactly met my expectation. I learnt how the new technology can be introduced to the microfinance sector and how we can adopt some mobile banking and other high technologies and ICT knowledge into the microfinance and SMEs sector. That is very important for us and to our country.

The thing I like the most in this training, mainly as a microfinance organization, is we are focusing on the agriculture as it is the backbone of Sri Lanka’s economy. Mostly, we are focusing on agriculture loans, in addition, we help in developing clothing industry sector and normally the government sector. Most of the SMEs are very fast developing in Sri Lanka. You can enhance the capacity building and the financial assets in compare with other Asian regions. Sri Lanka has 80% of financial institutions.

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Head Accountant and Business Counselor, SME Cooperation of Malaysia, Malaysia

Microfinance for Small and Medium–sized Enterprises (SMEs) Development in Asia Pacific Region: April 25-May 6, 2016

Before I came here, I expected that I would learn about the success of microfinance in Thailand because in Malaysia when you go to store you will see 50% of the products are made in Thailand.  I wanted to know how Thailand did that since it was not easy to reach that achievement. Besides that, you have more than 10 countries to be trained together, to share experiences with different attitudes, different backgrounds. I learned a lot and gained more knowledge from the resource persons. The training certainly met my expectations.

In the field visit, I learned a lot about how people survive the microfinance and how people in rural areas living under poverty and paying the loan on time. It was good to hear from them and to know how they pay back their loan. I will definitely share the knowledge to my other business counselors in Malaysia. The field visit was the best part for me as well as the facilities. I also like the organizer because they were very creative and cooperative.  

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Assistant Chief Social Sector, Planning and Development Department Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Microfinance for Small and Medium–sized Enterprises (SMEs) Development in Asia Pacific Region: April 25-May 6, 2016

I really appreciated the effort of TICA, the Colombo Plan, and certainly Mekong Institute for bringing 11 countries together to share our experiences on what we are doing for SMEs in our country. We were really impressed about Thailand’s strategy for poverty reduction, especially the village fund, the community base in microfinance institution and the role of banks, particularly the Bank for Agriculture in promoting the SMEs in the country. We will take these experiences from here and replicate in country to promote SMEs over there.

Since I work in the Ministry of Planning at the policy making level .This training will help me in formulation of SME-friendly policy and program of central microfinance sector, partially in the rural areas and also the SMEs sector to boost economic development in my country.

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PLANT HEALTH SECTION TECHNICAL, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY, LAO PDR

“Enhancing Cross-Border Trade towards AEC 2015: March 14-15, 2016

I was very happy to join the training because it was very important for me to get knowledge on the cross- border transport agreement. I also learnt more on CBTA (Cross-Border Trade Agreement) and trade facilitation. I also made many friends from GMS countries, and we could exchange and collaborate with each other in the near future.

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SECRETARY GENERAL, MYANMAR INTERNATIONAL FREIGHT FORWARDER ASSOCIATION, MYANMAR

“Enhancing Cross-Border Trade towards AEC 2015: March 14-15, 2016

I think the training exceeded my expectations because there were more experts that came to explain the meaning of CBTA (Cross-Border Trade Agreement), and we also learned more in detail about the ASEAN agreement. As you may know, Myanmar was left behind and we don’t have much information. This time I received a lot of knowledge which is very useful.

I am really happy to be here again. I get more friends and connections and I learned many things from each country. It was very good that we can meet all sectors for exchanging information. 

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BUREAU CHIEF AND ASSISTANT TO SECRETARY GENERAL OF POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT, CAMBODIA

Enhancing Cross-Border Trade towards AEC 2015: March 14-25, 2016

The training course was very useful for Cambodian participants since I can learn the theories and the practical experiences from different resource persons.

The things I learned for the course guided me to do the planning for Cambodia development in the future. For example, there is more demand in Thailand for young skilled labor which I think many countries also need. Cambodia may take advantage of this opportunity because we have a lot of young labor too but we lack skilled labor. Since we know the challenges, I think we can improve and solve the problem and make the challenges to be the opportunity.

Moreover, the learning environment was good for participants and we have a chance to know about Thailand since we traveled to many provinces and learned for about the cultures too. 

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Director, T.H.D. Auto Parts Co.,Ltd, Thailand

Certified Logistics Master Batch #2: February 1-2, 2016

I would say that the course went beyond my expectation. Both contents from the course and from the participants gave me more knowledge on the core of the logistics and portray the actual pictures of what's exactly going on in the lower GMS region. I had learned that what I've heard before might not be the same nowadays.

What I think is most useful for my job and myself is to learn about the Green logistics because it is a hot issue right now. When I was taught about this lesson, it alerted me to inform my company that we need to pay attention to this issue as well if we want to keep our company up to date. Since the examples were given in the class, this makes it easier for me to understand and to implement it at my work place.

I would like to thank Mekong Institute and its sponsors who made this course happen. I do believe that all of my classmates would feel the same way too.

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Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency, Thailand

Project Design and Planning in the Context of GMS Cooperation and Integration: June 3-12, 2014

As a result of completing the training course, I have strengthened my knowledge in “Project Design and Planning in the Context of GMS Cooperation and Integration” and I can apply the lesson learned to my field of work.

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Researcher, Department of Integrated Research and Strategic Forecasting, Vietnam

Project Design and Planning in the Context of GMS Cooperation and Integration: June 3-12, 2014.

The regional course on Project Design and Planning in the Context of GMS Cooperation and Integration organized by the Mekong Institute is the most interesting training program that I have ever taken part in. Through numerous practical and interesting training methods, the course provided me not only various knowledge of project management but also great opportunities to improve many soft skills such as presentation, team work and so on.

Moreover, it was really a great chance for me to increase my working network and to learn experiences of other countries in both project activities and culture related issues. Besides, as it was also my first time I had been in Thailand, I really enjoyed warmth and friendliness of MI staff in particular and many other Thai people in general. Overall, it is undeniable that this course is the ideal training program that everybody may desire to participate in.

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Managing director Private distributing company, Myanmar

Project Design and Planning in the Context of GMS Cooperation and Integration: June 3-12, 2014.

Mekong Institute has provided us with capacity building programs for the citizens of GMS region in a very effective way. The lessons and lectures have been very informational and the knowledge taught can be used practically in our everyday live as professionals. The most valuable thing that I have gained through attending one of the short courses that Mekong have offered is the networks and the people that we meet during the short course. This social network with the rest of the participants from all six countries will last very long and will be very helpful in life

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