Several business, community initiatives in Cahul developed with EU assistance

Chisinau, 6 Dec. / MOLDPRES /- Fourteen entrepreneurs from Cahul District received grants of between € 15,000 and € 30,000 each, assistance provided by the European Union for private sector development in the second call for grants launched by the EU4Moldova: key regions program, implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

At the same time, grant certificates of up to 20 thousand euros each were offered for two non-governmental organizations and support of 1620 euros for three public associations in the region. "The European Union offers tangible support for economic recovery, which benefits the people of the Republic of Moldova. Assistance under the EU4Moldova: Key Regions Program is accompanied by mentoring and training activities, which will ultimately stimulate job creation and grow local businesses in Cahul and Ungheni. This will increase the attractiveness of key regions for further investment, "said Jānis Mažeiks, head of the European Union Delegation in Chisinau.

Also, seven existing companies and seven start-ups in the Cahul region will receive financial assistance from the EU for the purchase of equipment, goods, works and services in order to develop business, create new jobs and increase the attractiveness of the region for new investments. The grant program will be accompanied by free mentoring and training activities to stimulate the entrepreneurial culture of the key region.

"I am impressed by the large number of companies eager to develop or launch new businesses in the Cahul region, despite the many challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to supporting and motivating the entrepreneurial spirit of Cahul women and men who are investing their efforts in growing the local economy, creating new jobs and attracting investment to the region, along with NGOs willing to address challenges and improve access. to public services, so that no one is excluded ", said Andrea Cuzyova, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova.

The beneficiaries of the business grant program, the second edition, cover various fields of activity: agriculture, tourism, pastry, tailoring, construction materials, etc. In total, the sustained business will create over 100 new permanent and seasonal jobs in the Cahul region.

"Supporting young entrepreneurs, as well as civil society organizations, means not only investing in the real sector of the economy, but, first and foremost, investing in the young generation, young families, children and the future of our Cahulean community," Cahul mayor Nicolae Dandiș said.

The winners of the second call for grants, launched in May 2021, by the EU4Moldova: Key Regions Program, were selected in a competition in which 106 entrepreneurs from the Cahul and Ungheni regions entered.

The total amount of grants for the business environment in the Cahul and Ungheni regions that will be offered in the period 2020-2024 under the "EU4Moldova: Key Regions" Program is approximately 1.7 million euros, and the associative sector will benefit from financial support. and technically worth about 90 thousand euros. The EU4Moldova: Key Regions program (2019-2024) supports smart, inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development in the Cahul and Ungheni regions, in order to ensure a better quality of life for citizens. The program has a total budget of 23 million euros.

Photo: UNDP