The EU has allocated 10 new grants totaling 375,000 euros for the creation or development of social enterprises in Moldova.
The money was provided by the Eastern Europe Fund with the support of the European Union and Sweden. According to the report of EU Delegation to Moldova, assistance for creation and development of social enterprises is the main activity of the project "Using the capacity of civil society to promote and develop social entrepreneurship in Moldova" implemented by East Europe Foundation in partnership with Contact Center and Keystone Moldova with financial support of European Union and co-funding from Sweden. The project aims at empowering civil society organizations in Moldova to participate in the creation and development of social enterprises that will contribute to the sustainable economic growth of communities. During the awarding ceremony, the European Union Ambassador to Moldova, Janis Mažeiks, emphasized that the development of social entrepreneurship is very important for both local communities and the economy as a whole. "We continue to support the development of social enterprises through 10 new grants. We are happy that through these grants we will be able to provide support in a wide range of areas, from ice cream and toy production to the development of digital literacy services or physical therapy, which will certainly help improve the quality of life at the local level," he said. In turn, Swedish Ambassador to Moldova Katarina Frid confirmed the possibility to support the Swedish Foundation for Eastern Europe in promoting social entrepreneurship, to promote inclusion in society of the most vulnerable groups and to contribute to the promotion of their civil, political, social and economic rights. The Ambassador also congratulated the grantees and wished them success in their important initiatives and that the projects would reach as many people in the country, improve their lives and bring positive change to their communities. Sorin Mereacre, president of the East Europe Foundation, outlined the results of efforts to develop social entrepreneurship in Moldova so far and expressed confidence that by investing in this area we will achieve a more prosperous, inclusive and environmentally friendly society. "Starting today, funding is available for new social enterprises that will provide new jobs for disadvantaged people: young workers, people with special needs, Romany people, refugees, elderly people, mothers with many children - people who want good, well-paid jobs. The goal of this project is to create an ecosystem for the development of social entrepreneurship. These efforts are carried out together with our partners - Contact Center and Keystone Moldova. Together with them we will do advocacy, promotion of social entrepreneurship, trainings in various areas necessary for the development of the enterprise. Along with this, we plan to inform and promote social entrepreneurship among the population," he said. According to the conditions of the grant competition, the maximum amount offered per project is 37,500 thousand euros. The implementation period of the projects financed under this grant competition is a maximum of 18 months. // 16.06.2023 – InfoMarket
