Womens Economic Empowerment - 2010
The program: Women's Economic Independence in the Post-conflict Zone and Remote Regions of Georgia
The program intends to empower women in the most vulnerable, poor and remote areas of Georgia, such as the post-conflict zone of Shida Kartli, northern Kakheti, mountainous Imereti and mountainous Racha. It aims to increase their independence by increasing women's economic autonomy; making women more independent and powerful by giving them the opportunity to be self-reliant; generating new resources for commencing their own initiatives and enabling women to develop more internal strength and to realize their potential in the field of productive labour.
During the first year of its implementation, the program will enable women in the region of Shida Kartli to realize their ideas for starting up their own businesses and lead to their and their families increased economic welfare through complex approach of sharing experience of the best practices in developing business skills, elaborating profitable business plans and encouraging and supporting women to accomplish the proposed business ideas by providing them with financial resources to affect the social and economic context in which they live.
Program activities include the implementation of three main components:
- Recruiting and choosing participant women from the target regions by testing
- Training of selected women participants in ‘How to Start Own Business"
- Small grants competition for trained women
Priority will be given to women from socially vulnerable groups such as IDP women, single mothers, women without any income, or those who have few chances to find regular jobs.
The program is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is made possible by the generous support of the American people.
Within the scope of the program, the following Shida Kartli villages were covered in 2010: Megvrekisi, Pkhvenisi, Nikozi, Tirdznisi, Brotsleti, Khviti, Ergneti. As a result of the grants competitions, 47 small individual grants were awarded. The total grant amount awarded within this program in 2010 was 48 501, 91 USD. From these, 35 grants were given in the field of agriculture (35 718, 01 USD) and 12 grants in the field of service (12 783, 90 USD).