Entrepreneurship Development for Conflict-Affected Rural Population - We Prosper

The project aims to improve the economic prosperity of rural women and the most vulnerable and marginalized people especially those affected by conflict. In response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 the project adapted certain project activities to address new immediate needs and protect previous development gains. Canada’s development partners in Ukraine pivoted project activities to respond to the evolving context in several ways such as providing emergency supplies equipment and services mental health transportation and accommodation. The beneficiaries scope expected results and geographic location of project activities have changed from the original description. Project activities include: (1) supporting women-headed family farms and existing cooperatives through economic support programs. These programs provide much-needed agricultural inputs and equipment needed to engage in farm training and value-added processing; (2) supporting internally displaced farmers through training on agricultural techniques and entrepreneurship; and (3) providing advocacy mental health support and responding to immediate needs of rural communities through the Rural Women's Business Network in partnership with civil society organizations.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) enhanced economic security of rural women and the most vulnerable populations from the war; (2) enhanced competitive innovative and environmentally sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises for women and the most vulnerable or marginalized; and (3) improved enabling environment supporting the participation of rural women and the most vulnerable populations from the war in the regional cooperative agri-food economy.