ITC to assist business-oriented community development in Ukraine
ITC has partnered with a Ukrainian organization to create a more inclusive and business-oriented ecosystem in 10 municipalities.
The rural regions of Ukraine have long been characterized by their agricultural heritage and close-knit communities, hosting before 2022 about 30% of population and majority of the industries.
However, since the outbreak of the war in 2022, there is an influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing conflict-affected areas. Around half of the country’s 3.7 million IDPs are in rural Ukraine. While these new residents do not know for how long they will be staying, they bring diverse business skills and entrepreneurial backgrounds which can be applied in the host communities.
To put those skills back to work, ITC has teamed up with through collaboration with the national partner, the Agency of Regional Development of the Tavria Association of Territorial Communities.
Together, they’re conducting trainings on business strategy, social entrepreneurship and inclusion. The trainings will take place in three regions of Ukraine, covering 10 hromadas (municipalities) and up to 300 people – including relocated businesses and key stakeholders in host communities.
As a result of this training, selected participants will proceed to an advanced project management course and develop hromada-specific projects to present to a wider audience in November.
It is estimated that pre-war, around 60% of Ukraine’s small businesses were located in rural areas. Most are engaged in activities like agribusiness, crafts, textiles, apparel and tourism. All of these sectors are key to unlocking Ukraine’s $28 billion in unrealized export potential and breathing new life into the economy.
Leveraging the existing skills of IDPs and integrating them into more business-oriented hromadas not only provides a lifeline for the war-torn economy, but also creates a solid ground for a more economically salient and strong recovery.
