The encouragement of women’s entrepreneurship is part of the program of CWSP focused on women’s participation in the economic development of the country.

The project aims at the development of entrepreneurship for women at risk as a way for poverty and unemployment reduction, as well as for increasing the standard of living of the target groups and their families. The main activities include providing of business training and counseling to women at risk – single mothers, women with unemployed partner, young mothers, who had lost their competitiveness at the labor market after the maternity leave and who would like to start up or develop their own business.

The first phase of the project – a series of pilot trainings in Sofia, was implemented in 2003 by the Integra – BDS Association and the Microcrediting Program of the Sofia Branch of Citibank. This program allowed the successful trainees with a market idea and a good business plan to apply for a grant of $1500-2000. this credit can be used for starting up of a new business or for extending an already existing one. The bank also ensures the support and help of its employees.

Since the end of 2003, the Employment Agency and the CWSP also joined the initiative. The CWSP financed the trainings during the second and the third phase. This made the project happen throughout the whole country.

In 2004 were conducted trainings in 4 big municipalities – Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Varna and Burgas (second phase), and 4 small municipalities – Tran, Pravets, Dolna Banya and Polski Trambesh  (third phase). The other activities included counseling for business start up and management during the period of growth by developing specific business skills, conducting analysis of the needs for additional training as well as the creation of a network of women’s business clubs for support.

The training in the Basics of Business was implemented within 3 training days and included the following topics:

• Business skills – what is to be an entrepreneur;
• Business plan – guidelines for drafting it;
• Company’s strategic development;
• Marketing and advertising;
• Financial management;
• Legal matters;
• Negotiation skills;
• Time management;
• Risk and risk situations.

The participants who successfully completed the course could apply for a credit. For this purpose they had to prepare their business plan and the necessary documents on their own or with the help of the consultants of Integra – BDS within a certain time frame.