Livelihood Program for Balkh community
Location: Balkh
Main activities:
Training and Capacity Building of Entrepreneurs and Businesswomen in (Marketing, Communication, market linkage, negotiation exhibition management) supporting SMEs in continuing their business, creating an online selling app named Aseel App for business with the international market. and printing billboards for marketing to small businesses for marketing purposes. Training SMEs in writing acceptable proposals for taking projects containing mostly embroiders, providing life skill training for girls and women about business negotiations and time management. Besides that, this project Conducts awareness raising sessions on women's rights, health, nutrition, hygiene, and MHM equality for women and girls. Moreover, this project included the procurement and distribution of animals (Goats) for income generation purposes among communities. With small grants to small SMEs in the amount of 1500 USD in Balkh province
Goals:
Supporting communities (women and girls) in the way of expanding, promoting, and developing businesses for sustainable livelihood.
Key achievements:
In this project over 600 families were supported through different activities such as training women in embroidery, and creating an exhibition for 100 women in Balkh province. AWEC facilitated women to the platform named ASEL App for selling their brands outside of the country, and creating a platform, allowing them to showcase and sell their products globally. The app created new opportunities for small businesses and contributed to their growth and sustainability. Besides that, AWEC created a billboard for SMEs to sell their brands in the market through billboard marketing, furthermore, SMEs in Balk province were able to have the opportunities to learn basic proposal writing to have acceptable proposals, with a focus on embroidery. Moving forward, AWEC provided life skill training, to girls and women, specifically in areas such as business negotiations and time management. By empowering women to overcome social and economic barriers, AWEC aimed to create a more inclusive and gender-equitable business landscape. This capacity-building effort has fostered the empowerment and success of women entrepreneurs in Herat province. Furthermore, the capacity-building training included (Marketing, Communication, market linkage, negotiation exhibition management)
In summary, AWEC's achievements in training and capacity building for entrepreneurs and businesswomen have had a significant impact on the growth and development of SMEs in Herat province. By equipping individuals with valuable skills and facilitating access to markets, AWEC has played a vital role in empowering entrepreneurs, creating employment opportunities, and contributing to the economic prosperity of the region.