We value women’s involvement in entrepreneurship which contributes to effective use of their potential, reduction of poverty and labor migration, economic stability, financial independence and local community development.
It is not a secret that in our country rural women are very often deprived of equal opportunities for establishing their own businesses and actively engaging in entrepreneurship. There are objective reasons for this, such as lack of klowledge and skills, as well as subjective ones such as lack of trust towards their own potential, existing stereotypes, etc. WFD NGO has always kept women’s issues and needs in the focus of its work, and, starting from 2018, has especially emphasized women’s and young women’s entrepreneurship skills development and promotion of new opportunities.
Analysis of the survey results conducted in our beneficiary communities has shown that rural women and young girls have big entrepreneurial potential, as well as desire and willingness to learn and to grow. Since there was already high level of trust towards WFD NGO in the communities, we simply needed to point out the new direction to women and young girls, to promote their participation in business lessons and to show with specific examples that they should not be afraid of making their small steps for developing their own businesses. “Economic stability through vocational education” project implemented in 2014 was the first successful business idea for the organization, which paved the way for future projects.
As the result of organized trainings, continuous consultancy provision and business grants, during past several years our beneficiaries of various projects were given an opportunity for implementing their business ideas or expanding the existing businesses.
Up to this date, 28 small businesses have been established in the beneficiary communities with the support from WFD NGO, out of which 62% are women-led.
We are assured, that through projects targeting at economic empowerment of rural women and their continuous capacity development it will be possible to reduce poverty and labor migration, to boost economic stability of the families, and continuous success stories from business women will keep motivating others.
Financed Business Projects
Family Guest House in Megrashat
Five most feasible and promising business plans have been born and established as a result of the project “How to Start Your Own Business in Armenia, Business Plan Designing”. It was a joint initiative of Women for Development NGO, “Bread for the World” and the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE). As a result of the selection and the related small funding, the fresh ideas have already been launched, allowing rural entrepreneurs to turn their vision into income-generating business.
One of the awarded projects for business development in a rural Shirak area, consists in renovation and furnishment of a family-run guesthouse in Meghrashat, which promises to make a visit at the village memorable, authentic and comfortable.
The Granny’s House – Family Guest House in Meghrashat has already been put on the virtual map of Facebook for presentation and popularization purposes. Information about the guesthouse will soon be available in other social networks as well. https://web.facebook.com/GuesthouseinMeghrashat/
“Lilit” cakes
Another business idea, funded by Women for Development NGO, “Bread for the World” and European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) consists in the establishment of small pastry shop in Tsoghamarg community. The idea was presented by Elizabeth Mkrtchyan, a resident of the village herself, with the aim to provide fresh and affordable pastry to all community members.
Within the framework of the project, all necessary equipment and accessories for the production of pastries have been obtained. The program also includes a series of cooking classes in Gyumri, which has already begun.
Elizabeth is optimistic and convinced that her home-based business will be expanded in the future, leading to positive changes for both her family and the entire community.
A personal Facebook page, entitled Lilit Pastry Shop, already operates to promote the services and will soon accept orders. Check it out! https://web.facebook.com/Lilit-cakes-336873113578006/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Read also Liza’s success story here ։ When Your Hobby Becomes a Source of Income
“Honeybee Megrashat”
Pedagogue Karen Voskanyan is from Meghrashat village, located in Shirak province. He is teaching at a local school and, parallelly, engaging in his passion – beekeeping. Karen inherited this love from his family, in which long year tradition of beekeeping has been passed through the generations. For already many years, beekeeping has been Karen´s hobby and, additionally, a safe way to provide the family with honey. Now he aims to dive deeper into the beekeeping process and turn his favorite leisure activity into profitable business.
This was the reason why Karen decided to participate in business training cycle, organized by us, and develop the business idea of “Honeybee Meghrashat”. According to Karen, the name of the village itself suggests the advantages of its geographical location, offering great source of raw material for honey. He is convinced that, thanks to the project, he will be able to increase the volume of ecologically clean and pure honey produced by him, and increase his competitiveness in the market.
Within the framework of the joint project of “Women for Development” NGO, “Bread for the World” and European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), Karen Voskanyan’s project has been financed, which lead to him obtaining 6 additional beehives, all of which will support the striving entrepreneurs to realize his idea.
Greenhouses in Arpeni and Voghji communities
Following 2 business projects, funded by Women for Development NGO, “Bread for the World” and European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), aim at establishing greenhouses respectively in Arpeni and Meghrashat communities. The project proposals were developed by these active women who, after participating in business our trainings, decided to try their best and start own small family businesses.
According to Gohar Gevorgyan and Anna Khachaturyan, growing vegetables and greens in winter will not only cover their own family needs, but also provide their communities. Especially considering the fact that the vegetables, which can currently be bought from mobile merchants in these communities, are usually not fresh any more by the time the are offered there, not to mention that they are, in additional, overpriced, both women assure that can offer buyers competitive and ecologically clean products right away from the greenhouse.
What is more, residents of the community won’t need to get to travel to the city to buy vegetables and spend valuable money and time in vane.
It is envisaged to build two greenhouses with a polyethylene two-layer film with a surface area of 50m2 and 100m2, for which all the necessary building materials have already been obtained.
Once winter is over and the days get warmer, the construction of greenhouses will begin.
You can find the results of the monitoring for these business projects and success stories by the following link