Project Region: Western Balkans
Location in Albania: Municipalities of Tirana, Mallakastër and Berat.
Implementation period: 1 February 2021 – 28 February 2023
Funding: German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), ADH, Medicor Foundation Municipalities of Berat, AZHBR
Total Budget: €542,874
The SOE-05 project aimed to foster economic inclusion and empowerment in Albania, particularly targeting vulnerable groups such as unemployed youth and women, small businesses, micro-farmers, and agribusinesses. The focus of the project was fourfold, and the focus was to:
- improve the professional skills of unemployed individuals in Berat and Tirana.
- boost the business activity small businesses affected by COVID-19 in Berat.
- support small farms and agribusinesses to increase their income in Tirana.
- improve the conditions for ECD of vulnerable infants in Mallakastër.
The first target beneficiary group were unemployed women and youth in Berat and Tirana. The project aimed to support this target group through an employment support programme which included on-the-job training and vocational training. The second and third target groups were small businesses, small farms, and small agribusinesses in Berat and Tirana. The project aimed to support these target groups through a business support programme which included micro grants and business training. The final target beneficiary group were the preschool staff and infants attending preschool facilities in Mallakastër. The project aimed to support these target groups by the improving the preschool conditions by rehabilitating a creche and kindergarten in the town of Ballsh.
Key results:
- 47 unemployed youth, including 24 women, completed a training placement
- 22 of youth have gained employed after completing their training placement
- 25 businesses participated in the on-the-job scheme for unemployed youth
- 40 unemployed youth, including 20 women, completed a vocational training
- course and received a recognised qualification
- 33 small businesses received an equipment grant to support their business
- 20 business participated in business training and received mentoring support
- 74 small farms and agribusiness received equipment grants and capacity
- building training to increase productivity on the farms
- An additional 23 infants enrolled in preschool after the reconstruction works
- were completed and received ECD in a safe and child-friendly environment
