About the SME Toolkit

The global English version of the SME Toolkit Web site (www.smetoolkit.org) launched in October 2002—the first step toward the project’s goal of leveraging information and communication technologies to provide critical information, tools, software, and training to SMEs in emerging markets.

The SME Toolkit consists of three major components:

· An easy-to-use Web interface that allows users to search or browse to locate the content they need.

· A large set of best-of-breed articles, interactive tools, business forms, software, and online training resources acquired at virtually no cost through strategic partnerships with major providers of small business content.

· A robust administrative content management tool that allows local implementation partners to manage all aspects of the Web site and content in multiple languages simultaneously without any technical knowledge.

Key to the success of the project are the local implementation partners—both private sector companies and NGOs—who supplement the globally relevant content with locally specific information and manage their own translated and localized versions of the SME Toolkit. The first localization launched in December 2002 through the Mekong Project Development Facility in Vietnam (www.businessedge.com.vn).

Over the next twelve months, portions of the SME Toolkit will be localized in: Bangladesh, Mongolia, Ukraine, Mali, Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Eastern Caribbean, Pacific Islands, Philippines, Southeastern Europe, China, and a number of other locations. In Latin America, FUNDES is translating approximately 20% of the SME Toolkit content into Spanish and will begin offering it to the public by April of this year through its portals (www.mipyme.com) in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Panama.

Upcoming plans for the SME Toolkit:

· Complete development of co-branding functionality to enable instant co-branding of the Toolkit for partners that don’t have the staffing resources necessary to manage their own versions.

· Complete development of static site generator functionality to enable easy creation of CD-ROM versions of SME Toolkit.

· Begin conducting management training workshops for SMEs leveraging the SME Toolkit as the basis for curriculum development and hands-on learning.

· Convene conference for all regional implementation partners to discuss experiences and identify steps for future development of the Toolkit project.