Support to local sustainable development in Serbia through business incubation-poverty reduction

In cooperation with HELP

Region: Southern Serbia, Bujanovac, Gadzin Han, Pirot, Presevo

Budget: Phase I: 205,000.00 EUR, Phase II: 131,097.50 EUR

Donor: German Government through the Stability pact for southeast Europe, Bujanovac, Gadzin Han, Pirot and Presevo

Duration: Phase I February – June 2008; Phase II June – December 2008

Continuing the realisation of the poverty reduction strategy, in February 2008, HELP in cooperation with local NGOs ENECA from Nis and EDEAS from Bujanovac, started the first phase of the program “Support to local sustainable development in Serbia through business incubation – poverty reduction”.

The program includes entrepreneurs from the municipalities of Bujanovac, Gadzin Han, Pirot and Presevo.

In the first phase, a total of 56 clients were supported, 14 in each of the municipalities (Bujanovac, Gadžin Han, Pirot, Preševo), of which 41.1% were women entrepreneurs, while 60.7% of clients were younger than 35 years old, while in the second phase there were 8 supported clients in Bujanovac, Pirot and Presevo and 14 clients in Gadžin Han.

All supported clients had fulfilled the obligation to register their business, while two clients have hired three additional workers, and two are in the process of registration. Business and professional trainings were organized for clients in order to additionally ensure the sustainability of their activities. In addition, supported clients were required to perform 15 hours of community service for the local community, which was organized and conducted in cooperation with local partners, through local communities and public utilities in schools, kindergartens, the Red Cross and churches.