This training aimed at economically empowering women focusing on informing them of various opportunities to apply for subsidies and grants and increasing the professional knowledge on doing business.

            Considering the huge unemployment of women from rural areas and their not being professionally ready for the labour market, namely in the aspect of business management, it was deemed reasonable to provide these trainings which result in them being trained to direct their businesses in the future. In addition, taking into account the fact that women in rural areas, particularly those from Krusha e Vogël, do handicrafts and carry out various agricultural activities such as seeding and cultivating various fruits and vegetables, the organization deemed it reasonable to work with them and to make them exercise their ‘craftsmanship’ or activities as a business, thus providing themselves and their families with a higher living standard.

            During this training, the topics that were discussed were: writing a draft-proposal, narrative budget, logical framework, work plan and keeping business finances. At first, the participants were explained a basic form of business plan and all the elements it must contain. Besides lectures, the participants worked together with the lecturer to create a draft-proposal template which served as a practical drafting sample.

            While this was the first time for many beneficiaries to participate in such workshop, what they learnt was very important, and they hoped that they will include in business plans their ideas to open small businesses and apply to donors for various subsidies.

This project was supported by Kosovo Women’s Fund (KWF) of the Kosovo Women’s Network and funded by Austrian Development Agency (ADA).