Inclusion and Economic Empowerment in the Western Balkans (SOE10)

The German government will support the economic development of five of the Western Balkan countries, namely, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia to improve living conditions of marginalized, vulnerable groups in the Western Balkans through programs through capacity building, learning and innovation with and amongst intermediary institutions and cross-border cooperation.

Help will implement the regional project “Inclusion and Economic Empowerment in the Western Balkans” throughout the year 2023 until the end of 2024.

The overall goal of the program is to contribute to the reduction of social and economic exclusion of vulnerable groups in the Western Balkans region through economic empowerment and supporting the social-economic inclusion of vulnerable groups.

Objective 1: Regional cooperation and development

Objective 2: Conditions for new jobs created through the Green Growth Grants scheme and appropriate capacity-building training

Objective 3: Contribute to better resocialization of convicts in prison systems through working engagement and capacity building of convicts and employees of the Correctional Institutions

Objective 4: local community initiatives to support improved access and inclusion of vulnerable categories

Project components that will be implemented in Kosovo that will lead to the inclusion and economic empowerment of vulnerable groups are:

  • Green Growth Grants enhancing development, digital and green economy with a focus on entrepreneurship and green practices
  • Provision of business and vocational trainings
  • Training and resocialization programs in correctional institutions
  • Support workshops within the Kosovo Correctional Service
  • Start-up support for former convicts
  • Community-level initiatives to improve the living conditions of vulnerable groups and advance the inclusion of vulnerable social groups
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WEE Simple

WEE SIMPLE

The Millennium Foundation Kosovo (MFK) has launched the final component of the Women in Energy Entrepreneurs (WEE) Program: the Pilot SIMPLE Group.

The SIMPLE Group offers grants for women-owned micro-businesses and startups in selected municipalities across Kosovo. These grants are designed to help women entrepreneurs in Kosovo grow their businesses through a more efficient use of energy.

The Pilot SIMPLE Group project will initially be implemented in the following municipalities: Ferizaj, Fushë Kosova, Gjakova, Gjilan, Gracanica, North Mitrovica, Podujeva, Prishtina, and Prizren.

This component is designed for new businesses with bright ideas, very limited funds, or for founders who are socially less advantaged. Maximum grant funding is  €3,000, and includes a 15% contribution from applicants.

WHO COULD APPLY

Women-owned micro-businesses and startups who want to grow their business with more energy efficient technologies and/or energy saving measures.

Eligibility criteria:

  • At least 51% women owned
  • Fewer than 5 employees
  • Startup women-owned businesses and individual entrepreneurs
  • Located in one of the Municipalities included in this Call for Applications
  • Startup businesses that are working but are not registered yet are strongly encouraged to apply.
  • Those businesses which are awarded grants will have to finish the registration of their business as part of the grant condition prior to the verification of the project. Otherwise, the grant must be returned to MFK.
  • Require an investment grant of not more than €3,000 (including a 15% own contribution)
  • Wish to grow their business with more energy efficient technologies and/or energy saving measures
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Reconomy

Title: Reconomy Project

MAIN PHASE

Project number: SOE-11

Title:  “Digitalization of sectors with growth potential for better economic opportunities”

Donor: The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

Duration:  01.07.2023 to 31.12.2026

Budget:      Euro 1.980.258,55

Area:          Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia

Project Coordinator: Gent Saraçi

General Objective:   to achieve sustainable, large-scale and socially inclusive impact through systemic change and acting in a facilitative role towards stakeholders and beneficiaries.

Specific Objective:

  • Women and youth, including the most disadvantaged and excluded, benefit from improved economic opportunities (better income and green and decent jobs) inclusively and sustainably
  • to contribute to an increased level of regional cooperation among the WB countries

Description:  Help has been working in Western Balkan to enhance living conditions and support social inclusion of marginalized population groups. As part of the cooperation with HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation (‘Helvetas in the following’) the Regional Programme Digitalization of sectors with growth potential for better economic opportunities” in Western Balkans which is funded Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) was launched.

Helvetas and Help are committed to leveraging their organisational capacities and resources to the best possible manner and supporting each other in fulfilling the stated objectives and obligations towards Sida. They are guided by the shared ambition to achieve sustainable, large-scale and socially inclusive impact through systemic change and acting in a facilitative role towards stakeholders and beneficiaries. The partnership adheres to principles of good governance (transparency, accountability, participation, non-discrimination, efficiency) and builds on mutual trust and respect.

The vision statement of the joint activity is for sector representatives to benefit from economic opportunities and contribute to local economic development by advancing knowledge and skills, increasing market access, sales and income.

The lack of cooperation between ICT companies and other industries is hindering the development of new products and services in the Western Balkans. This problem is compounded by technological underdevelopment, low investment in key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing, and limited digitalization skills among the workforce.

Climate-dependent industries, such as agriculture and tourism, face significant challenges due to climate change, unsustainable natural resource management, and energy issues. Households engaged in these industries are particularly vulnerable to such events. Failure to meet environmental standards in the supply chain and adapt to growing consumer demand for sustainability may lead to lower household income and further impoverishment of small family businesses.

To address these challenges, it is important to promote greater cooperation between the ICT industry and other sectors, as well as to invest in technological development and digitalization skills. Furthermore, efforts should be made to build resilience in climate-dependent industries through the adoption of climate-resilient practices and resource-efficient production methods.

Number of women and youth with additional income and decent and green job opportunities: 11.000, women 50%, moat disadvantaged 10%, green jobs 30%

Main activities:

  1. Implementation of Market System Analysis
  2. Identification of potential cooperating partners (Market Actors)
  3. Identification of appropriate interventions
  4. Monitoring of interventions implemented by selected Market actors
  5. Reporting to Helvetas                                                             

    Project number: SOE-12

    Project title: “Inclusive jobs in ICT”

    Donor: The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida)

    Cooperation Partner to Sida: Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation

    Implementing Partner to Helvetas: Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e. V

    Project Team Leader: Gent Saraçi

    Project duration: April 2023 – December 2026

    Project budget: CHF 600.141,85

    Project area: Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Ukraine

    The overall objective: The overarching objective of the program is to enable women and young men, including the most disadvantaged and excluded groups, to benefit from economic opportunities by increasing their income and taking up decent/green employment/self-employment.

    The project summary:

    The project has three main pillars: skills and intermediation service development, business services development, and advocacy. Its goal is to facilitate the development of demand-driven products and services that will increase the target group’s participation in the labor market and enable them to take advantage of decent job opportunities. The project is focused on stimulating systemic changes in the ICT-BPO sector. This involves working with various stakeholders, including private sector companies, industry associations and government agencies, to identify and address key challenges and opportunities in the sector.

    Impact indicators:

    • Number of women and youth with additional income and decent and green job opportunities (target: 6000, out of which 50% women, 10% green jobs, 20% the most disadvantaged)
    • Percentage of women and youth with additional income and decent job opportunities who express satisfaction with their situation (target: 75%)

    Outcome indicators:

    • Amount of additional investment made by private sector enterprises because of changes stimulated by the program (target: CHF 1.000.000)
    • Percentage of private sector enterprises that report higher turnover and/or profit as a

    result of changes stimulated by the program (target: 20%)

    • Number of women and youth with improved skills relevant to market needs (target: 2.025, out of which out of which 50% women, 10% green, 20% the most disadvantaged)
    • Percentage of women and youth who express satisfaction with the relevance of skills (target: 75%)
    • Number of women and youth that access and use intermediation services (target: 1.460, out of which 50% women, 20% the most disadvantaged)
    • Number of private sector enterprises report better performance as a result of clear and implemented policies/regulations/administrative requirements as a result of the program’s facilitation (target: 100)
    • Percentage of private sector enterprises that report increased economic opportunities and business environment (40%)

    INCEPTION PHASE – SOE06


    ECONOMIC SECTOR / MARKET – Information communication and technology (ICT), Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) SUPPORTING FUNCTION/RULE – Skills development, financial and business services, coordination
    TIME FRAME & PLACE – August 2020 – April 2022 Western Balkans
    CO-FACILITATION PARTNER – Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V

    Focus

    This pilot idea focuses on regionally replicating and improving successful models from Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina in the ICT and BPO sectors in Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo & Montenegro. The pilot idea also builds on (a) the proposal submitted by Help which the Sida program selection committee evaluated and (b) complementary assessments of ideas generated by the Sida program in June and July as part of designing the program.

    Vision

    The ICT-BPO pilot effectively responds to the critical constraints and create a Western Balkan ‘value proposition’. This in practice means branding of the region by stimulating the competitiveness of private sector enterprises and creating a critical mass by attracting more services and clients. This is expected to generate more inclusive and sustainable benefits for women and young people as well as other disadvantaged and excluded groups.

    The pilot facilitates:

    1. Access to better functioning business services (e.g. information /research and knowledge generation),
    2. The supply of skilled workforce (with better employability or freelancing) demanded by the private sector and facilitation of participation on the freelance brokering platforms, and the improvement of the membership organizations’ business development to link domestic companies and foreign clients as well as an advocate towards a regional brand for the promotion of the BPO sector.

    • During the inception phase covering the period from 01.09.2020 to 30.04.2022, Help implemented the project related activities with a focus on understanding the main intervention logic of the programme and the contextual challenges of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in the Western Balkans (WB). 
    • In June 2021 first amendment was signed covering an increase in the project budget. 
    • In May 2022 a second amendment was signed extending among other the duration of the agreement until 31.03.2023.  
    • During the pilot and inception phase in Reconomy, Help worked with several partners in the WB region such as: Semos Education (Serbia), The Serbian Games Association (SGA), ICT Cortex (Montenegro), Melita & Partners (Kosovo and Albania), INDUSTRIA FILM (Kosovo), SDA Academy (Albania), Bit Alliance (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Logate (Montenegro), BONEVET (Kosovo), 
    • The pilot effectively responded to the critical constraints and created the Western Balkan ‘value proposition’. This in practice means branding of the region by stimulating the competitiveness of private sector enterprises and creating a critical mass by attracting more services and clients. This generated more inclusive and sustainable benefits for women and young people as well as other disadvantaged and excluded groups.

     

    • The pilot facilitated:
    1. Access to better functioning business services (e.g. information /research and knowledge generation),
    2. The supply of skilled workforce (with better employability or freelancing) demanded by the private sector and facilitation of participation on the freelance brokering platforms, and the improvement of the membership organizations’ business development to link domestic companies and foreign clients as well as an advocate towards a regional brand for the promotion of the BPO sector.
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    “Support to socio-economic stability through empowerment of micro business sector in Kosovo

    Project was financed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of German Government, Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, partner Municipalities whereas is implemented by Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e>v. Kosovo and Foundation Kosovo-Luxembourg.

    Project “Support to socio-economic stability through empowerment of micro business sector in Kosovo” was implemented during May 2015 till December 2016 in following municipalities: Prishtina, Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Graçanica, North Mitrovica, Leposaviq, Vushtrri, Gjakova and Gjilan.

    The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the sustainable development and the stability in targeted areas with the main focus on the economic empowerment. Whereas the specific objective is job creation through direct economic and educational support to micro business sector in Kosovo

    Project components

    Grants for micro businesses

    Business and vocational trainings

    Support to development of cooperatives

    Assistance within the project “Reintegration and Rehabilitation of the Prisoners”

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    Support to socio-economic stability through empowerment of micro business sector in Kosovo – Migration Prevention and Stabilisation

    Project: “Support to socio-economic stability through empowerment of micro business sector in Kosovo – Migration Prevention and Stabilisation”

    Duration: February 2016 – December 2017

    Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the German Government

    Location: Republic of Kosovo

    Municipalities of Prishtine, Gracanice, Gjakove, Vushtrri, Gjilan, Mitrovica, North Mitrovica and Leposavic during 2016 and Vushtrri, Peje, Prizren and Novobrdo during 2017.

    The overall objective of the project is to contribute to the sustainable development and the stability in targeted areas with the main focus on the economic empowerment

    The specific objective – job creation through direct economic and educational support to micro business sector in Kosovo

    The proposed action represents the continuation of the programme commenced in 2015 as the second phase. The project components will lead to the direct job creation thus contribute to the socio-economic stability in targeted areas are:

    Grants for micro businesses

    Business and vocational trainings

    Assistance within the project “Reintegration and Rehabilitation of the Prisoners”

    Project “Support to socio-economic stability through empowerment of micro business sector in Kosovo”

    Duration: May 2015 – December 2016

    Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the German Government

    Location: Republic of Kosovo

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    Support to Sustainable Economic Development at the Municipal Level

    Project: “Support to Sustainable Economic Development at the Municipal Level”

    Duration: September – December 2018

    Help Kosovo signed a cooperation agreement with Ministry of Local Government Administration within the project “Support to Sustainable Economic Development at the Municipal Level”. This project will provide professional training for at least 40 citizens in the Municipality of Kamenica.

    Trainings will be designed on the basis of citizens’ requests, but will focus on creating a skilled workforce that creates opportunities for self-employment.

    Target groups are young and marginalized groups. The type of training can be: electrician, central heating, welding, tailoring, hairdressing, bakery craft, etc.

     

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    Support to socio-economic stability in the western Balkans region 2017-2018

    Project: “Support to socio-economic stability in the western Balkans region 2017-2018”

    Duration: May 2017 – December 2018

    Donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the German Government

    Location: Republic of Kosovo-Municipalities of Suhareka, Lipjan, Decan, Strpce, Istog, Gjakova, Gracanica, Mitrovica and North Mitrovica.

    The overall objective of the program is to increase the capacity of economically and socially vulnerable groups to participate more fully in society.

    Specific objective of the program: Decreased levels of poverty among economically vulnerable groups

    The project components that will lead to the direct job creation of at least 240 registered employees, thus contribute to the socio-economic stability in targeted areas, are:

    Grants for micro businesses

    Business and vocational trainings

    Support community entrepreneurial initiatives throughout the country

    Supporting four correctional institutions in the rehabilitation and re-socialization of persons who have been in conflict with the law

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    Self-Employment Training Program

    Project: “Self-Employment Training Program”

    Duration: July 30, 2018 – October 31, 2019

    Expanding job opportunities for youth in Kosovo is the focus of our latest Self-Employment Training Program. USAID Empower Private Sector project signed a grant agreement with organization Help Kosovo to implement the training program which aims to foster employ-ability and entrepreneurship of vulnerable and marginalized youth in Gjilan, Viti, Kacanik, and Hani i Elezit. In the next 15 months, the program will deliver business skills training to around 200 youth, and upon completion, the top 32 business proposals presented by the trained youth will receive small grants to start their own businesses. In partnership with Sida – Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete.

    The objective of this Activity is to foster youth employability and entrepreneurship for vulnerable and marginalized youth through the Self-Employment (SE) Training Program in the municipalities of Kacanik, Hani i Elezit, Viti, and Gjilan.

    The SE program will consist of two components: a relevant “business training” course, followed by the provision of self-employment grants to a selected number of high-potential youth participants. Key partners in collaborating in implementation will include local municipalities, the MLSW and other relevant local organizations. Business trainings will be provided in each municipality for two groups of 25 participants. This adds to a total of 200 people. At least 32 selected participants will receive a self-employment grant of up to EUR 3,650, amounting to a total of 32 youth grantees.

    Help, in coordination with relevant municipality representatives, will reach, recruit, train, and provide self-employment grants. In total, 200 young people will attend a five (5) day business training course and in each municipality, there will be two (2) groups of 25 participants. The training will cover:

    Generating and refining your business idea, start-up basics, how to register a new business

    Introduction to business plans, business plan building basics

    Market research and strategic planning

    Marketing for small business, small business promotion, and social media platforms

    Small business accounting and taxes.

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    Self-Employment Training Program

    Project: “Self-Employment Training Program”

    Duration: July 30, 2018 – October 31, 2019

    Expanding job opportunities for youth in Kosovo is the focus of our latest Self-Employment Training Program. USAID Empower Private Sector project signed a grant agreement with organization Help Kosovo to implement the training program which aims to foster employ-ability and entrepreneurship of vulnerable and marginalized youth in Gjilan, Viti, Kacanik, and Hani i Elezit. In the next 15 months, the program will deliver business skills training to around 200 youth, and upon completion, the top 32 business proposals presented by the trained youth will receive small grants to start their own businesses. In partnership with Sida – Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete.

    The objective of this Activity is to foster youth employability and entrepreneurship for vulnerable and marginalized youth through the Self-Employment (SE) Training Program in the municipalities of Kacanik, Hani i Elezit, Viti, and Gjilan.

    The SE program will consist of two components: a relevant “business training” course, followed by the provision of self-employment grants to a selected number of high-potential youth participants. Key partners in collaborating in implementation will include local municipalities, the MLSW and other relevant local organizations. Business trainings will be provided in each municipality for two groups of 25 participants. This adds to a total of 200 people. At least 32 selected participants will receive a self-employment grant of up to EUR 3,650, amounting to a total of 32 youth grantees.

    Help, in coordination with relevant municipality representatives, will reach, recruit, train, and provide self-employment grants. In total, 200 young people will attend a five (5) day business training course and in each municipality, there will be two (2) groups of 25 participants. The training will cover:

    Generating and refining your business idea, start-up basics, how to register a new business

    Introduction to business plans, business plan building basics

    Market research and strategic planning

    Marketing for small business, small business promotion, and social media platforms

    Small business accounting and taxes.

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    Support to socio-economic stability in the western Balkans region 2019-2020

    2020

    Continuation of the Project “Support to socio-economic stability in the western Balkans region 2019-2020” in Prishtina, Gjakova, Skënderaj and support to Correctional centers with equipment in the rehabilitation and re-socialization of convicts.

    2019

    Project “Support to socio-economic stability in the western Balkans region 2019-2020”

    Supported financially by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the German Government, co-financed by the partner municipalities in Kosovo.

    The overall objective of the program is to empower economically and socially vulnerable groups and enable social inclusion

    Specific objectives of the program:

    Specific Objective 1:

    Decreased levels of poverty among economically vulnerable groups

    Specific Objective 2:

    Improvement of the treatment programs in correctional institutes and the process of re-integration into society

    Specific Objective 3:

    Better inclusion of Roma and vulnerable social cases in the society and migration prevention

    In the Republic of Kosovo during 2019 & 2020 will be implemented the follow components:

    Grants for micro businesses, provision of 200 grants to seven municipalities

    Business and vocational training, at least 430 persons

    Support to three Correctional centers with equipment in the rehabilitation and re-socialization of convicts

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