2007 Achievements
· 30 women from the target villages have been trained in business management during the course of three training cycles.
· 20 specialized technical training sessions of different duration were conducted to improve the skills of the VBI-supported entrepreneurs in dairy products, hairdressing, accessories, bee keeping,
· 50 business counseling sessions were carried out at the VBI and in the field.
· 20 entrepreneurs prepared their own business plan and 4 of them were granted a loan to start up their business.
· 2 technical assistance interventions of product development and design were conducted by international experts to improve a dairy business and stimulate the creativity of women producing glamour accessories.
· 15 women willing to become entrepreneurs achieved the start up phase of their business activities.
· Training curricula were produced for the advanced training.
· 15 entrepreneurs participated in the introductory session of the advanced training on enterprise management.
· 70 women living in the target area were involved in a the information and mobilization campaign.
· The VBI consolidated its reputation as a business development center in the target area and as a focal point for promoting development initiatives.
· The capacity of the VBI staff was strengthened through two technical assistance missions by the expert in enterprise development and through continuous on-the-job assistance by the Project International Coordinator.