On February 14, 2022 Rural Information and Resource Centre (RIRC) "Choyhona" of Urgut district based in Samarkand region hosted an awarding ceremony of business-grants to the most vulnerable women and youth to start their own businesses, which is an essential part of the project "Strengthening institutional and organizational capacity of NGOs to respond to the impact of COVID-19 on the most vulnerable women and youth in rural areas of Uzbekistan and improve their socio-economic situation" funded by European Union and implemented by “SABR”, the National Center for Socio-Economic Development.
Business grants for a total amount of 47 million sums were provided to 23 representatives of vulnerable women and young people who as well participated in courses to acquire professional skills in six popular areas, such as sewing, confectionery, crafts, computer literacy, manicure and pedicure to meet the project goals that is to exit crisis situation and improve well-being by developing professional skills, employment, starting own businesses, including access to financial and counseling services of target group.
It is necessary to underline that the business-grants are given to the participants not in the form of money, but in the form of necessary equipment to successfully start and conduct entrepreneurial activity to exit the crisis situation in accordance with project tasks that is to create opportunities for the most disadvantaged women and youth suffered from COVID-19.
This is the uniqueness of SIRC "Choihona" which was established on April 20, 2021 in Urgut district and keeps providing practical skills training opportunities to 269 disadvantaged women and youth representatives up to these days.
Local representatives of Urgut district khakimiyat and department of Makhalla and Family support as well as members of organizing committee attended the awarding ceremony.