To help businesswomen turn an idea into a business plan, work through the challenges, and reach a new level, the Ukrainian Women Entrepreneurs Hub (U&WE Hub) organizes training programs for women entrepreneurs. The 5th wave of the training program finished in August, with 230 applications submitted. 137 entrepreneurs were selected, of whom 118 successfully completed the program. Based on the results of the practical tasks, 52 businesswomen pitched business projects to investors.
According to the results of the 5th training program, 27% of the participants changed their business idea, 56.5% came closer to achieving the goals they set at the beginning of the program, 26% achieved their goals, and 12% exceeded their expectations.
“This is only a part of the impressive results of our women entrepreneurs, as 12 participants have opened a sole proprietorship after completing the program, and another 9 are in the process of registration,” shares the results of the program Maryna Saprykina, Head of the CSR Ukraine and founder of U&WE Hub.
Perhaps this trend is due to the fact that more than 28% of the program participants are internally displaced persons and women who work near the contact line. And for those who had to leave their homes, relocate their businesses, and rebuild them after a Russian missile hit, the support of the community is critical, which they find at U&WE Hub.
The resilience and perseverance of these women is simply amazing. For example, one of the finalists of the 5th program, Olesia Tkachenko, a Kharkiv resident who now lives in the village of Ispas in Bukovyna, traveled 160 km three times a week to study. Her efforts were not in vain: she managed to scale up her business, a body care center relocated from Slobozhanshchyna, and increase her profits.
“Three times a week, I traveled 160 kilometers to gain valuable knowledge that would help me develop and expand my business geographically. My first achievement was during the training, when we revised pricing, which increased my income. And the main thing is networking with project participants who are developing and inspiring each other during the war,” Olesia says.
The range of businesses of the program participants is very diverse, but they are united by their proactivity, desire for partnership and support for each other.
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