Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and millions of destroyed lives, Ukrainians continue to fight for their country and freedom. Almost 5 million people, in search of a safe place for themselves and their families, have become internally displaced. Estonian Refugee Council and Garage48 invite women in Ukraine affected by the Russian war, to recover their livelihoods through entrepreneurship.

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN UKRAINE

Since 2019, Estonian Refugee Council and Garage48 have worked in collaboration, to support women in the East and the center of Ukraine in regaining their livelihoods through entrepreneurship. Over 4 years, the Empowering Women Entrepreneurship Programme has shown the strength and determination of Ukrainian women in defying the most difficult odds. By launching micro- and family businesses that support their own livelihood as well as others, and provide jobs and critical services, they fight for Ukraine’s freedom by supporting the resilience of the people and the economy on a grassroots level.

We are opening the programme for the fifth time, to meet the next Ukrainian superwomen. The Empowering Women Entrepreneurship Programme in Ukraine in 2023-2024 is open for applications. 

WHO CAN TAKE PART?

Applications are open to women from KIROVOHRAD, POLTAVA, and CHERKASY regions, who have lost the means to provide income for their families due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

WE ARE WELCOMING:

• women individually with ideas for a micro- and family business located in Ukraine
• existing businesses led by women in need of support to relocate and re-start, inside Ukraine
• business ideas and businesses from all fields, be it agriculture, education, or technology

HOW DOES IT WORK? 

The whole programme is happening online across the center of Ukraine in Poltava, Kirovohrad and Cherkasy regions. Programme activities are planned mostly for weekends and evening-times. The programme is held in English and Ukrainian languages, translations are provided for general sessions and workshops.

During the entrepreneurship programme, you will have the opportunity to improve and get new entrepreneurial skills, learn from experienced entrepreneurs and specialists, build your business network, develop or redefine your business plan, and work on the design of your products and services. We’ll be working with design thinking, business model canvas, branding, creative marketing, financial planning, legal advice, online and social media, founder mental health, presentation skills, and pitching topics. Our experienced local and international mentors from the entrepreneurial and technology sectors will be sharing their best practices in building successful businesses.

The project will consist of hands-on mentoring, workshops, peer-to-peer learning, teamwork, and a live final show, followed by entrepreneurship grants and a mentoring programme for the top participants and teams.

Once your application to the programme has been approved, you will receive all guidelines for entering the programme’s online platforms, attending the workshops, meeting your mentors, developing your business plans, and preparing your final pitch.

To learn more about the programme, get guidance on how to fill out the application form and get guidance for defining your business idea, we will hold an online pre-event on 23 November at 18:00-20:00 UTC+2. The recording of the webinar can be viewed here: (access code 9hq#.SWZ).

Join the Facebook events for programme for new businesses or the programme for existing businesses.

In case you have any questions about participation, please contact livelihoods@pagulasabi.ee, 067 508 0839

ENTREPRENEURSHIP GRANTS & MENTORING

The most successful participants and teams of the entrepreneurship programmes will receive support in the form of asset-based grants. The grants are given out in the form of equipment and tools necessary to start or develop their business.

The entrepreneurship grants go hand in hand with a mentoring programme lasting 6 months with individual mentoring and workshops supporting further business development.

A total of 60 successful participant-run businesses will receive entrepreneurship grants:  

• 35 individuals with new business ideas will each receive up to 36 000 UAH
• 25 already existing businesses will each receive up to 180 000 UAH 

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are evaluated on the basis of the business potential and social and economic vulnerability of the applicants, by an international jury of entrepreneurship experts.  

• 46 individuals or women-led businesses will be selected to participate in ACCELERATION: Entrepreneurship Programme for the relocation and re-starting of existing businesses on December 9 – 21st 2023. The application deadline is December 5, 2023
• 64 individuals or women-led teams will be selected to participate in the INCUBATION: Entrepreneurship Programme for the creation of new businesses, on January 20 – February 4th 2024. The application deadline is January 7th, 2024

Please note that you will need to create a user account before being able to submit the business idea form: https://livelihoods.pagulasabi.ee/login 

The Empowering Women Entrepreneurship Programme undertaken with the financial support of the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance USAID (BHA) #UkraineResponseConsortium