“ EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH FINAL REPORT USAID GOVERNING FOR GROWTH (G4G) IN GEORGIA FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY 11 April 2019 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Deloitte Consulting LLP. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH FINAL REPORT USAID GOVERNING FOR GROWTH (G4G) IN GEORGIA FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY CONTRACT NUMBER: AID-114-C-14-00007 DELOITTE CONSULTING LLP USAID | GEORGIA USAID CONTRACTING OFFICER’S REPRESENTATIVE: PHILLIP GREENE AUTHOR(S): NGO ABKHAZINTERCONT CAPACITY BUILDING: 5500 LANGUAGE: ENGLISH 11 APRIL 2019 DISCLAIMER: This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Deloitte Consulting LLP. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. USAID | GOVERNING FOR GROWTH (G4G) IN GEORGIA EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH i DATA Reviewed by: Maya Eristavi, Tamar Julakidze, Michael Martley Project Component: Private Sector and Civil Society Strengthening Practice Area: Women Empowerment for Regional Economic Growth in Imereti Region Key Words: Women, region, business, entrepreneurship, development, skills, business plan. USAID | GOVERNING FOR GROWTH (G4G) IN GEORGIA EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH ii ACRONYMS G4G Governing for Growth in Georgia USAID United States Agency for International Development NGO Non-Governmental Organization AIC Abkhazintercont IDP Internally Displaced Person GFA Georgia’s Farmers Association GoG Government of Georgia DCFTA Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area EU European Union USAID | GOVERNING FOR GROWTH (G4G) IN GEORGIA EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH iii CONTENTS 1. A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS .................................. 1 2. A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS, LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................ 3 3. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT IMPACT AND RESULTS (BASED ON THE INDICATORS PRESENTED IN THE APPLICATION AS WELL AS ANY OTHER ANECDOTAL INFORMATION, STAKEHOLDER OR OBSERVER COMMENTARY) ....................................... 4 4. A DISCUSSION OF HOW GRANT FUNDING CONTRIBUTED TO THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM ........................................................................................................................... 6 APPENDIX A: ......................................................................................................................................... 7 USAID | GOVERNING FOR GROWTH (G4G) IN GEORGIA EMPOWERING WOMEN FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH iv 1. A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY OBJECTIVES AND ACHIEVEMENTS For more than 20 years, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Abkhazintercont (AIC) worked in the Imereti, Samegrelo, Zemo Svaneti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti regions, implementing various international donor-funded projects in areas such as agriculture, capacity building, employment opportunities, income generation, and social projects. AIC also provides consulting services and training in business development, financial capacity building, agro-farming, agro- business management, and legal issues. AIC’s work supports sustainable development of small enterprises and farming businesses, improves the social and economic conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable populations, and advocates the interests of marginalized groups. In 2018, G4G launched the “Empowering Women for Regional Economic Growth” grant program in the Imereti region, implemented by AIC. The ten-month program equipped women entrepreneurs in the region with relevant skills to increase their engagement in economic activities and support their businesses’ development. Project objectives were to: a. Identify new opportunities, initiatives, and innovative business ideas for women living in the Imereti region; b. Train women in business administration, leadership, advocacy, tax and financial reporting, Government of Georgia (GoG) business support programs, and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) issues - food safety requirements and export procedures to the European Union (EU); c. Increase awareness about women entrepreneurs in the Imereti region and support them to position their products on the market; d. Conduct individual and group consultations with women entrepreneurs to prepare and motivate them to participate in various grant competitions. In May 2018, AIC organized information sessions in 11 municipalities of the Imereti region: Kutaisi, Chiatura, Baghdati, Vani, Zestaponi, Terjola, Samtredia, Tkibuli, Tskaltubo, Kharagauli, and Khoni. The sessions raised awareness about the grant activity in the region and increased engagement of local citizens. AIC identified 137 women entrepreneurs from the Imereti region who run micro and small businesses and selected 60 as beneficiaries of the project, and another 16 women were selected for DCFTA trainings. The vast majority of the project beneficiaries are involved in farming, manufacture various dairy products, or produce handmade items. Project participants attended a series of training seminars that included business administration, leadership, advocacy, tax and financial reporting, GoG’s business support programs, and DCFTA issues. As a result, 60 participants learned new business skills, including business plan development, financial management and basics in tax administration; an additional 16 women attended seminars on DCFTA. Training for business skills development was held on July 3-25, 2018, in Kutaisi, Zestafoni, and Vani by the trainer Giorgi Chumburidze. Chumburidze taught beneficiaries business management and administration skills, tax and law issues, marketing, production, service, accounting, leadership skills, and business plan preparation and presentation, and proposal writing. By the end of the training, 60 women prepared their business plan proposals: Kutaisi (23 participants), Zestafoni (21 participants) and Vani (16 participants). DCFTA training sessions were held on August 1-30, 2018, in Kutaisi, Zestafoni, and Vani. The training was conducted by the invited trainer/expert, Rusudan Kovziridze. Sixty women entrepreneurs from the business trainings and 16 additional interested females attended at the following locations: Kutaisi (29 attendees), Zestafoni (26 attendees), and Vani (21 attendees). The purpose of the training was to inform beneficiaries about food safety policy in Georgia, respective obligations under DCFTA, and procedures for exporting to the EU. The attendees were highly engaged and 95% correctly answered test questions after the completion of the seminar. Advocacy training sessions were held on September 1-30, 2018, in Kutaisi, Zestafoni, and Vani. The training was conducted by the trainer/consultant Tamar Elbakidze. In total, 58 women attended the trainings: Kutaisi (20 attendees), Zestafoni (23 attendees), and Vani (15 attendees). The attendees were highly engaged and 95% correctly answered test questions after the completion of the seminar. An almanac and brochures were published in January 2019 – the manual How to Begin, Encourage, Develop and Build up own Business (400 copies), and the Almanac of Entrepreneur Women of Imereti (350 copies). In the process of the manual’s preparation, one business expert and three specialists from AIC were involved. The Almanac includes the stories of 37 successful business women. Choosing 37 from 60 participants required visiting all of them one additional time for an evaluation of their current activities to fairly select individuals for inclusion in the Almanac. The manual was disseminated among project participants and the women in the Imereti region that are interested in entrepreneurial activities. The Almanac was distributed to businesses, donor organizations, and local governments that operate in the Imereti region. The Almanac helped to raise awareness about the women entrepreneurs and their businesses. A regional conference was held on February 25. The “Women’s Capacity Development in Imereti Region” conference was attended by the Vice Governor of the Imereti region, officials from Kutaisi City Hall, and representatives of regional municipalities. During the event, about 60 program beneficiaries shared experience and their achievements accumulated during the 10-month program. The second part of the conference was dedicated to a panel discussion, where the women entrepreneurs, together with the representatives of the local government, discussed the challenges and opportunities of the region and further development perspectives. Eighty-five people attended the conference. The Almanac of Entrepreneur Women of Imereti, brochures, and certificates of attendance were given to the project participants. Sixteen women beneficiaries participated in different exhibitions in Kutaisi and Tbilisi, where they presented their products and had the opportunity to sell their products and became aware of new opportunities on the market. Individual and group consultations were provided by AIC’s business consultants provided beneficiaries on a regular basis. As a result of the regular individual