The European Union has launched a new project in Belarus to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across the country over the next three years. It is expected that the project will generate new jobs for vulnerable and excluded segments of the population by equipping them with the support they need in terms of business knowledge, start-up support and access to affordable finance, the EU said in a press release.
“We plan to provide grants to at least 200 small and medium enterprises, social enterprises and NGOs that want to make their neighbourhood better, launch new innovative businesses or supply socially important services to their communities,” said Andrea Wiktorin, the EU Ambassador to Belarus.
“Our aim is to encourage people to pursue their ideas and to show that even small initiatives can have significant impact on local communities and on the whole economy of the country.”
Implemented in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Economy, the project supports the government’s State Programme for Small and Medium Entrepreneurship for 2016-2020 and is innovative in terms of using its capital to stimulate social impact within enterprise development. It will also work with a number of local organisations to ensure those at the margins of society and the economy can enjoy the benefits of economic growth.
