Twenty-seven representatives of the OSCE-supported Women’s Resource Centers (WRCs), of whom fourteen are directors, learned how to build organizational sustainability through participation in income-generating social entrepreneurship at a training course in Dushanbe. The course, which took place from 13 to 17 March 2023, was organized by the OSCE Program Office in Dushanbe.
Participants learned about the basics of business planning for a social enterprise and its stages; conducting a SWOT analysis (weaknesses and strengths, opportunities and risks) of a social enterprise; determining the production program of the planned activity, as well as preparing marketing and financial plans for the social enterprise. The event also covered such key topics as business plan analysis; organizational plan; risk management and determining the social impact of the project.
Natalya Faizieva, representative of the ASTI WRC in Khujand, said: “This is an opportunity for me to learn more about social entrepreneurship. As a result of the training, I hope that our organization will be able to develop a social business plan and engage in income-generating activities to continue to support socially vulnerable groups.”
“I see this OSCE initiative as a solution to sustainably support community members in rural areas. All the topics that were covered during the course are necessary to increase the level of knowledge of the participants and will be further used as a guide for the implementation of the ideas of social entrepreneurship in residential areas,” said Mohsimo Abdushakhidova, director of the Zanoni Shark (Women of the East) in Penjikent.
“During the practical classes, we got acquainted with the new concept of social entrepreneurship and developed a business plan for a social enterprise,” said Asadullo Nematov, a representative of the Rokhnamo (Guide) ZhRC of the Lyaksha district. He added that the knowledge gained will help them in the process of developing a social enterprise in their area.
The Program Office provides comprehensive support to victims of domestic violence in the regions through a network of 14 OSCE-established HRRCs in close partnership with local authorities. Current activities are carried out within the framework of the project “Support and Strengthening Women’s Resource Centers in Tajikistan” of the OSCE Program Office in Dushanbe, funded by the United States of America, Finland, Norway, Germany and Andorra.
Source: osce