The East European Foundation, with the support of the European Union and Sweden, is offering 10 grants totaling 375,000 euros for the creation or development of 10 social enterprises in the territory of the Republic of Moldova, including in the Transnistrian region. The grant certificates were handed over today, June 13, 2023, during a public event.
Facilitating the creation and development of social enterprises is the main activity of the project “Harnessing Civil Society Potential for the Promotion and Development of Social Entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova,” implemented by the East European Foundation in partnership with the Contact Center and Keystone Moldova, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from Sweden. The project aims to empower civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Republic of Moldova to engage in the creation and development of social enterprises that will contribute to sustainable economic growth in communities.
During the grant certificate award ceremony, Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, mentioned, “The development of social entrepreneurship is very important for both local communities and the economy in general. Today, we continue to support the development of social enterprises by granting ten new grants. We are pleased that through these grants, we will be able to provide support in various areas, from ice cream and toy production to the development of digital literacy services or kinesiotherapy services, which will undoubtedly improve the quality of life at the local level.”
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Katarina Fried, the Swedish Ambassador to Chișinău, reiterated Sweden’s commitment to supporting the East European Foundation in promoting social entrepreneurship, “to promote the inclusion of the most vulnerable groups and contribute to the promotion of their civil, political, social, and economic rights.” Additionally, the ambassador congratulated the grant beneficiaries and wished them success in implementing their important initiatives, reaching as many people in the country as possible to improve their lives and bring positive changes to their communities.
Sorin Mereacre, President of the East European Foundation, gave a brief presentation of the results of efforts in developing social entrepreneurship in Moldova up to this point and expressed confidence that through the investments made in this regard, they will achieve a more prosperous, inclusive society that cares for the environment.
“Starting today, social enterprises that will provide new jobs for disadvantaged individuals are funded: young employees, people with special needs, Roma people, refugees, the elderly, women with multiple children – people who will benefit from good and adequately paid jobs. Through this project, we aim to develop an ecosystem for the development of social entrepreneurship. These efforts are carried out in collaboration with our partners – the Contact Center and Keystone Moldova. Together with them, we will engage in advocacy activities, promote social entrepreneurship, provide training in various areas necessary for enterprise development, and also conduct information and awareness-raising activities on social entrepreneurship among the population.”
Grant certificates were awarded to the following organizations:
- “ECO-RĂZENI” NGO
- “PAIDEIA” NGO
- Federation of Families for Unification and Peace in the World from Moldova NGO
- Regional Development Agency in Tiraspol
- Regional Center for Social Initiatives and Sustainable Development NGO
- “PINO – Nature Crafted Toys” NGO
- “Association for Professional Skills Development” NGO
- Training and Personal Development Center “ANIMA” NGO
- “INVALIFE” NGO
- “POSITIVE INITIATIVE” NGO
According to the grant competition terms, the total allocated amount is 375,000 EUR, with a maximum amount of 37,500 EUR offered per project. The implementation period for projects funded under this grant competition is a maximum of 18 months.
Starting on January 1, 2022, the East European Foundation, in partnership with Keystone Moldova and the Contact Center, has been implementing the project “Harnessing the Potential of NGOs for the Promotion and Development of Social Entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova.” The 36-month project aims to empower NGOs to engage in the creation of social enterprises that contribute to sustainable economic growth in communities. The project proposes a capacity-building program, especially in terms of business and financial management, both for social enterprises and regional social business centers, which will continue to guide social enterprises. With the project’s support, NGOs will empower disadvantaged individuals (youth, people with special needs, immigrants, Roma, the elderly, etc.) to be socially and economically included in the labor market. The project has created a favorable ecosystem for the development of social enterprises through access to professional consultations at the regional level and increased awareness of social entrepreneurship nationally through a media campaign.