Small businesses generating jobs for vulnerable persons launched in Gagauzia with UNDP support

The grants’ programme is part of a wider project on preventing gender-based violence, implemented by UNDP with the support of the Republic of Korea, initiated in 2018.

The winners were selected based on a business plans’ competition, within a program for the economic empowerment of the inhabitants of the village. The participants learned how to craft a business plan, how to assess and avoid risks, and how to promote their future business. The best proposals were selected by an evaluation committee. At the first stage, the newly launched businesses will create 20 jobs in Chirsova village, and this number will increase in the next period. The program for economic empowerment of the inhabitants of the village was implemented in Chirsova in collaboration with the Public Association “Inspiration” from Comrat.

One of the beneficiaries of the grants’ programme, Olga Neicovcena, plans to open a psychological counseling office in her own house. Being a psychologist by profession, Olga will provide specialized services for children and adults, including for gender-based violence survivors. Not only people from Chirsova will benefit from her services, but also the population from the neighboring villages. Previously, those who needed such specialized services had to go to Chisinau, 100 km away from their home.

“I will provide counseling for children and their parents, and the activities I will organize will help them reintegrating in the community,” says Olga.

Another beneficiary, Irina Zlatovcena, will use the obtained resources to open a beauty salon in Chirsova. The woman works together with her husband to equip the premises of the future salon: “We would like to provide services that will be affordable for all the people in the village, including people with small incomes”.

Using the equipment obtained based on the grant provided by UNDP, Serghei Ratcoglo has modernized his small enterprise for manufacturing compound feed for domestic animals. The number of clients has doubled since he has installed the new production line, and he estimates that revenues will increase at least 50% as compared to the previous month. With the support of the partner NGO, Serghei is learning know how to have more clients, including how to sell the compound feed to the zoo shops. Once the production volume goes up, the entrepreneur will increase the number of employees – the majority being from local vulnerable population.

Maia Piron is also sure to have a successful business. She will launch a specialized enterprise to dry fruits and vegetables. “I will use this project to make my dream come true – to start my own small business.  I will use only environmentally friendly technologies and I will produce only ecological products”.

Vitalie Frecauteanu, Project Coordinator at UNDP Moldova, notes that the economic empowerment program envisages not only promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship, but also reducing gender-based violence: “An economically active woman, who has her own income, is much less vulnerable to violence. It is well known that many women are living today in violence, hesitate to leave their partners because of economic dependence – often they have neither a job nor a stable income. And this makes them accept the conditions in which they live. This support will contribute also to local economic development, especially in the context of COVID-19 pandemics, which affected significantly all the communities”.

“Addressing violence against women in the Republic of Moldova: exploring and learning from local solutions” project is implemented during 2018-2020 by UNDP with the support of the Republic of Korea. This initiative is part of a UNDP’s global project aiming to tackle violence prevention at a wider scale and involving new partners, strategies, and financing sources. The project is being implemented in seven countries of the world, and the Republic of Moldova is the only country from Europe.

With the project’s support, a multidisciplinary team was established in Chirsova, being prepared to act in all the cases when there is a risk for women’s and their children’s life and security. At the same time, the specialists are also responsible for preventing violence, hence organizing activities which would involve all the people from the village – adults and youth.

A specialized center will start operating in Gagauzia region under the umbrella of the respective project. The center is meant for women suffering from violence and their children. The capital reconstruction of the building was finalized by UNDP and Executive Committee of Gagauzia at the end of 2019. Currently, the building is being launched into operation and employees are being selected. The service will include social, psychological and legal assistance, as well as support to find a job.