The launch event was presided over by the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Patrick Ventrell; the president of FUSAI’s Board of Directors, Mabel de Soundy; and Marvin Melgar, president of Melher, one of the nine participating SMEs.

USAID’s Economic Competitiveness Project signed a grant agreement with FUSAI to strengthen the export capabilities and increase sales of SMEs while generating new jobs for the benefit of more Salvadoran families. The program will help companies increase their productive capacity by purchasing machinery and expanding their facilities, as well as helping them comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) export regulations and develop new products for domestic and foreign markets.

The program will be implemented over an 18-month period, with a total investment of $1.5 million from USAID, FUSAI, and the participating companies. These companies are expected to increase their exports to the United States and Central America, as well as local sales, by $4.9 million and generate 375 new jobs.

For the past 28 years, FUSAI has implemented projects benefiting SMEs to improve their management skills and market competitiveness by adopting best business practices.

USAID’s Economic Competitiveness Project strengthens the capacities of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to increase the country’s competitiveness by expanding competition in domestic and export markets.