Female Fortitude – From escaping war in Ukraine to starting a business in Armenia
Published: Jul 29, 2024 Reading time: 3 minutesDestiny has offered many challenges to Gohar and Natella from Armenia. Having moved to Ukraine from Armenia and started a new life together, everything was overturned when Russia invaded Ukraine. They lost everything and had to move back to Armenia. With funds from our SOS Ukraine appeal, we helped them start their own businesses.
"I had never worked with soil before. After settling here in the village and seeing how people earn income from it, I decided to give it a try," says Natella Svichkar, who opened a vast greenhouse in her village not far from Yerevan. Before the war Natella lived in the Ukraine like many others; she was visiting Armenia when Russia invaded Ukraine. She could not go back. Today, she is rebuilding her life from scratch—her daughters are in Germany, and she lost her livelihood.
She was very excited when our team offered her financial a grant and business support.
The first strawberries and tomatoes are ready to harvest, and Natella plans to sell them.
Gohar Poghosyan's business is also thriving. Gohar returned from Ukraine to Armenia. Knowing how to sew, she decided to use her skills to make a living.
Resettling in Armenia was not easy for Gohar; she not only needed income but also an outlet for her creativity.
Together with her daughter Kristine Suchyan, Gohar applied for support from us. Because she was successful, she was able to start her company named Magic. Magic produces bedding, towels, children's clothing, aprons, kitchen items, and other textile products. "For about two years, we were working but couldn't produce this quantity of products," Gohar says. Thanks to PIN, they now have new sewing machines, and we are able to buy additional textile materials.
In total, the project budget was €610,310. This allowed us to help 435 individuals with various types of assistance, including vocational-educational training courses, business grants, and humanitarian and psychosocial support. A portion of the budget, amounting to €87,000, was explicitly allocated for business grants.
Beyond these two initiatives, we also supported an artisan bakery in Metsamor, contributed to eco-meat production in Tavush, facilitated the production of smoked Ukrainian delicacies, helped establish greenhouses in three regions of Armenia, and much more. Overall, 19 families received business grants covering a range of sectors, from agribusiness to IT services.