Sharing knowledge – building the future in Africa and Asia

Practical part of an industrial flooring training course in Ghana

Intensive training on concrete repair and protection in Accra in 2023.

Practical part of an industrial flooring training course in Ghana

Intensive training on concrete repair and protection in Accra in 2023.

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Many emerging and developing countries face similar challenges: high youth unemployment, a shortage of skilled workers, low training standards and a lack of expertise. These factors not only affect the quality of construction projects, but also economic development as a whole. This is precisely where the develoPPP project launched by MC-Bauchemie and DEG came in. Its aim was to offer practical training and further education opportunities to craftsmen, technicians, students and engineers in Vietnam, Malaysia, Guinea, Ghana and Ethiopia. The train-the-trainer concept was also particularly important, as it enabled local trainers to pass on this knowledge and integrate it into the countries' education systems. From 2021 to early 2025, despite the pandemic, political crises and difficult conditions in the above-mentioned countries, a total of more than 7,000 people from the construction sector were trained in practical courses.  

Sustainable impact – far beyond the project 

From the outset, the project was designed for sustainability and long-term impact. The curricula at several universities were expanded to include key topics such as waterproofing and concrete repair. In addition, training centres were set up that will continue to operate after the end of the project, thus permanently anchoring the knowledge acquired locally. There was also a special focus on promoting women and job seekers, who gained new career prospects through the training courses. Overall, the project made an important contribution to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: it strengthened quality education (SDG 4), opened up opportunities for decent work (SDG 8) and promoted the development of sustainable infrastructure (SDG 9).   

"The project has impressively demonstrated that investments in education have a sustainable impact. Despite difficult circumstances, we were able to train thousands of people in Vietnam, Malaysia, Guinea, Ghana and Ethiopia. They now have the knowledge and skills to improve their chances on the labour market and raise the quality of construction to a higher level," says Jens Morgenstern, head of the project at the MC-Bauchemie, drawing a thoroughly positive conclusion and adding: “In addition, the project has created long-term structures for knowledge transfer through integration into existing education systems, the recognition of certificates and the training of local trainers.”