This project aims to improve the quality of vocational education in the production of leather products in Ethiopia as leather industry represents one of the leading and most prospective Ethiopian sectors that can significantly contribute to country’s sustainable development. The advancement of the sector in line with policies and strategies set by the Ethiopian government. Since the industry suffers from poor quality of its products, the project focuses specifically on qualitative improvement of the production process of leather products.

The project is founded on three pillars, namely, building of institutional capacity of vocational training institutes towards increased quality education in the leather sector, enhancing the capacity and competitiveness of Micro and Small Scale Enterprises engaged in the leather production, and establishing and building of collaborations and networks among different actors in the leather sector. The project’s logic reflects needs identified during implementation of existing project, as well as through the joint sessions with key stakeholders and review of relevant documents.

The project builds on previous project activities and the good practices and lessons learnt are being incorporated. New project’s components include for example establishment of a leather program within Hawassa TVET College with special attention given to access of people with disabilities to education, strengthening of networks among different institutions in the sector and training on proper handling of raw hides and skins in order to minimize wastage of resources.