Make your "home production" and hobby profitable

The main goal of the project is increasing the competitiveness of regional businesses. Two groups of unemployed women who produce home made products and handicraft, will be formed, in Shtip and Gotse Delchev. They will be trained in basic of economics and basic IT knowledge, in order to be able to sell their products and make the hobby and home production profitable. Organization of workshop with local bussinissmen, bazaars in Shtip and Gotse Delchev, and participation with joint stand at fair in Skopje, will enable them to cooperate, make contacts and enable basis for future development of their home activities into micro or small firm. The implementation of proposed project activities will result in increasing the competitiveness of the smallest "domestic businesses" and turning them into profitable source of income for unemployed women.This will enable their inclusion in social and society life, and thus increasing of the confidence and valuation of their labor. It will support the goal of equal participation of women in the labor market. Successful implementation of the planned activities, through basic business and IT trainings, will be the ground, possibility for further developing of these home businesses into micro and small firms, through active involvement on the market. This will, in any case, increase the number of women who will begin to earn incomes from their home activities.

Основната цел на проекта е повишаване конкурентоспособността на регионалните фирми. Сформиране на две групи от безработни жени, произвеждащи домашно правени продукти и упражняващи занаяти в Щип и Гоце Делчев. Обучение на групите в основи на икономиката и основни ИТ познания за продаване на продукти и реализиране на хобито и домашното производство като рентабилни. Организация на работна среща с местни бизнесмени, базари в Щип и Гоце Делчев и участие с общ щанд в Скопие, допринасящи за сътрудничество, установяване на контакти и даване възможност за бъдещо развитие на домашните дейности в микро или малка фирма. Проектните дейности водят до повишаване конкурентоспособността на най-малките "домашни фирми" и превръщането им в печеливш източник на доход за безработните жени. Включване на тези жени в социалния и обществен живот и увеличаване доверието и оценката на техния труд. Проектът подкрепя идеята за равно участие на жените на пазара на труда. Успешното прилагане на проектните дейности чрез бизнес и ИТ обучения увеличава възможността за по-нататъшно развитие на този домашен бизнес в микро и малки фирми чрез активно участие на пазара. Увеличаване броя на жените, започващи да печелят доходи от домашни дейности.

Главната цел на проектот е зголемување на конкурентноста на регионалните бизниси. Ќе бидат формирани две групи од невработени жени, кои произведуваат домашни производи и ракотворби, во Штип и Гоце Делчев. Тие ќе бидат обучени во областа на основните на економијата и основни ИТ вештини, со цел да бидат во можност да ги продаваат своите производи и да го направат профитабилно своето хоби и домашното производство. Предвидено е организирање на работилница со локалните бизнисмени, базари во Штип и Гоце Делчев, и учество на заеднички штанд на саемот во Скопје, со што ќе им се овозможи соработка, остварување контакти и основање и развој на нивнитедомашни активности во микро или мала фирма. Спроведувањето на предложените проектни активности ќе резултира со зголемување на конкурентноста на најмалите "домашните бизниси" и ќе ги претвори во профитабилен извор на приход за невработенте жени. Ова ќе овозможи нивно вклучување во социјалниот живот и во општеството, а со тоа и зголемување на довербата и вреднувањето на нивниот труд. Проектот ја поддржува целта на еднакво учество на жените на пазарот на трудот. Успешната имплементација на планираните активности, преку обуките за основен бизнис и ИТ, ќе биде основа и можност за понатамошно развивање на овие домашни бизниси во микро и мали фирми, преку активно вклучување на пазарот. Со ова, во секој случај, ќе се зголеми бројот на жени кои ќе почнат да остваруваат приходи од нивните домашни активности.

Established contacts and joint activities are a good basis for new joint initiatives in various areas of life of unemployed women, primarily in establishing own business and selling products on the own and the market of partner's country. As there were women from both sides who produce similar products, they made contacts that can result in cooperation, i.e. establishing of mutual business and partnership, in order to offer on the two markets more competitive products. As a result of the target group participation in this project, these women gained knowledge, expertise and capacity independently to form a team, networks, to extent the final results and to impact to the local policies for improvement of their situation and skills. As the title of the project is defined, the strengthened women skills to make their hobby profitable therefore will support other women in realization of their economic opportunities and competitiveness on the labour market. The printed publication and web page contains important information and notes that might be used by local and national authorities during planning of programmes, strategies and projects. Not less important is the friendship relation between the participants which is very important for improvement of the relations of both regions and strengthening the feeling of having the same problems and targets, and that is encouraging the development of a small businesses and economic cooperation, as a way of increasing the standard of living.

Indicator; Reached value; Comment Number of participants (split into men and women) in supported training and qualification initiatives;50.00;The project established two groups of unemployed women,one in each region.Each group consisted of 25 women.Women from both groups gained economic and business knowledge during the trainings-basic of economics, the training facilitated the acquisition of basic knowledge by group members related to economics and business issues: definition of market and competition; ways of advertising and marketing of products and services; creating an attractive product, development of business ideas.For this purpose experts were engaged from the field of economics who first offered the training program, to the project team to be approved. The training lasted for two days (6 hours per day), for each group.Also a professional subcontractor created and maintened the joint website on which the objectives and activities of both groups were presented, in coordination with project team coordinator. The website was created in three languages: macedonian, bulgarian ahd english. Also an on-line catalogue with the products (works) of women was created and constantly updated, together with information on the possibilities and the way they can be purchased (through contact mail and e-mail adresses, telephones, skype, viber). Participants of the groups were trained by the subcontractor to use online tools and especially the use of the website. The training of the participants lasted for two days (6 hours for each group per day, total 12 hours per group).Commercialization of their products was enabled and also the basis for developing their own business in the future by organizing joint workshops and bazaars and by joint visit and participation at national handicraft fair.The activity envisages conducting workshops and organizing bazaars in both regions, with presence of two groups, together. The first day workshop was organized with attendence of women from both groups.The owners of 2-3 local companies dealing with simillar business also were invited, with the aim to present the participants their business, it's strengths,limitations and challenges that are facing with. Тhis was a great opportunity for mutual introduction in practical functioning of existing business by participants from both groups, exchange of experience and an opportunity to establish contacts with local businesses who will convey information about a possible sale of their works. The second day was dedicated to the organization of the bazaar, on which the works (hand made products and handicrafts) of both groups were presented. For the organization of the bazaar local population and entities were notified through announcement on local media, so anyone interested can visit the bazaars, and buy the works exhibited.The joint visit and participation at national handicraft fair provided joint visit and participation of the two groups of women on fair for crafts and handicrafts organized in Macedonia. The location of the fair was the town of Skopje. The members of the project team (manager and coordinators) together with the leaders of both groups organized participation at the fair of all women, by presenting their products and handicrafts at a joint stand, under the logo of the project IPA CBC. This was an opportunity to establish broader contacts with other craftsmen from the region and the establishment of future cooperation, аnd also an opportunity for the presentation and promotion of products at an event attended by visitors from the country and abroad .