Sweden to provide 2.5 million euros to back companies from Moldova led by women

Chisinau, 12 July /MOLDPRES/ - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will extend its support for companies from Moldova led by women. For this, the institution will manage a non-refundable financing worth 2.5 million euros offered by the government of Sweden. An agreement providing for this was signed in Chisinau today.   

The money will be meant for boosting the EBRD’s programme, Women in Business, which supports women entrepreneurs in implementing innovations. The programme’s initiators plan that the money provided by Sweden reach about 100 women willing to start or develop a business.

Ambassador of Sweden to Moldova Signe Burgstaller said that the goal of the new financing, offered by her country, was to ensure the economic flourishing and inclusive development of Moldova, through the promotion of women’s participation in the country’s economy, as well as through strengthening the competitiveness of companies led by women, which will lead to economic growth.

At the event, Head of EBRD Office in Moldova Angela Sax said that EBRD was the biggest investor in Moldova. So far, the Bank has invested more than 1.2 billion euros in over 120 projects. At the same time, EBRD supported more than 750 small and medium-sized enterprises through consultancy in business.

Starting from 2011, EBRD has provided assistance to more than 160 women entrepreneurs through the Women in Business programme, also financed by Sweden. Most women involved in the programme have registered an increase in sales, by an average of 140 per cent, during one year after the completion of the consultancy projects. More than a half of these women increased the number of employees and created about 500 jobs in all.    

(Reporter N. Sandu, editor M. Jantovan)