BUSINESS BRIGES: 30 young people from both banks of the Nistru River will set up their businesses with EU support
07.04.2016 - 30 young persons from both banks of Nistru river received grants of 13,500 euros from the European Union (EU) to set up their own business. The grant certificates were awarded at the Business Bridges conference – an event gathering entrepreneurs from both banks to establish partnerships. The support was offered in the framework of Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme (SCBM), financed by EU and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (SCBM).
The beneficiaries were selected by competition. The selected start-ups cover different sectors: from dental services and meditation classes for students, to auto repair and testing. New merchandise produced thanks to the support from the EU will appear on the market soon: jewellery, ethnic-style wedding dresses, woollen blankets, and pastry products. Agriculture is an attractive field for some of the young, too, who chose to raise quails, beekeeping, or cultivate berries and vegetables on protected ground. All these businesses will potentially offer 160 jobs.
“It is a particular priority for the European Union to support active youth on both banks of the Nistru who had the courage and the strength to start their own business. I am very happy to see young success-driven business people benefitting from working together and thus building confidence and cross-river cooperation between communities on both sides. This is very much in line with what the European Union is about – focusing on mutual interest and on what there is in common, leading to benefits for all”, said Pirkka Tapiola, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova.
“The project supporting young business people on both banks is at its second stage, but we can already highlight its impressive achievements: 40 young entrepreneurs launched their businesses in 2014, more than 200 new jobs created, an on-line communication platform www.business-bridges.info, and useful working contacts between entrepreneurs from both banks established. The newly launched 31 new businesses are also very promising, on track to create at least 160 jobs on both banks. We are particularly proud that 17 of the beneficiaries are women, and look forward to seeing them transform their great potential into business success”, said Narine Sahakyan, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative.
Support to Confidence Building Measures Programme, through its Business Component, also provides consultancy and coaching to the beneficiaries from both bank of Nistru, considering business is something new to many of them. Thus, personal consultants in management and business development will coach them for 14 months. They will also have the possibility to network and learn during specialized trainings and conferences.
“It was my dream to set up my own business - dairy production. When I have heard about the Grants for youth project, I understood that was my chance. I have never written business plans before, but with the help I got from consultants, I have succeeded. I was very happy to find out that my business plan won. Now, the work is on way”, said Vitaly Covali, a young man from Dubasari, on the left bank of the Nistru.
Angela Sobol received a business grant in 2014, during the first phase of the project. She came to the conference with the corn flakes she produces in Varvareuca village, Floresti district. “I got this idea when I was still a student. I understood a simple thing: we grow corn, but we do not make much of it, not even corn flakes that are so demanded. It was not just another idea in my head; I’ve pursued this goal and implemented it. Now, with the help from the EU, I am proud that in my home village Varvareuca we produce corn flakes “Made in Moldova.”
The creation of job opportunities through business support for youth on both banks of the Nistru River initiative is implemented by SCBM in partnership with the Business Consulting Institute and the Commerce and Industry Chamber from Tiraspol.
SCBM Programme aims to increase trust between the people from both banks of the Nistru River by involving local authorities, civil society organisations, and business community representatives in joint activities in two core areas: business development and improving community infrastructure. The Programme has a total budget of 10 million Euro, provided by the European Union, and is implemented by the UNDP.
More information on the EU-UNDP `Support to the Confidence Building Measures` Programme is available:
On the UNDP-Moldova website at www.md.undp.org
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Contact person: Irina Perciun, Communications and Media Officer
Tel.: 069 12 02 34; e-mail: irina.perciun@undp.org