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August 2010

Under the “Improving Communities Right Now!” Program the business ideas of community members in Nevyansk are implemented along with the creation of new jobs for rural residents and persons with special needs

E. Arbuzova and a client discusses product samples

S.Maslikova at the tile printing machine

Tile molds

The dressmakers shop is ready for work

A training seminar “Starting Your Own Business” was organized in this city to identify business minded community members and provide them with skills and knowledge the need for successfully starting their own business.  The training for 20 attendees was conducted by 2 trainers/consultants with the use of interactive teaching methods and individual approaches to each trainee.

By the end of the training, the participants presented their business plans of proposed projects for the consideration of Nevyansk Working Group made up of city officials, deputies of the local Duma and the staff of Nevyansk Employment Center.

The Working Group recommended the best projects by S.Maslinkov, E.Arbuzova and A. Sarukhanian for funding under the targeted grant-round of the program “Improving Communities Right Now!”

The project “New Life of a Folk Craft” that is being implemented by S.Maslikov, an individual entrepreneur, is devoted to setting up a shop for producing glazed tiles, which will be the only one of its kind in the community.  He says that the program helped him revive his spirits, because in his rural artisan’s undertaking he is unable to create traditional glazed tiles that are currently in demand on the market. He is now putting out small lots of glazed tiles, has hired one worker from among local residents and is planning to hire two more as his business expands.

Under the project “My New Life”, Elena Arbuzova opened a dressmakers shop for sewing large-sized garments made of knitted fabrics for women. She purchased equipment, had it installed in rented space and is preparing for producing the first lot of products. She has coordinated the future styles with shop owners. Thus, from an ordinary dressmaker working from her home, she has turned into a business owner employing three people. She said: “This may sound pompous, but this project helped me to survive in the difficult time of crisis. When I was returning home after buying the equipment, I sang songs and was overly overjoyed. I have bought very good quality fabrics in which my clients should look really good. And if they become happy this will generate more positive emotions to this world. And I will know that my business is not only helping me to provide for my family, but is making other people feel better.”

Aleksan Sarukhanin, the author of the project “Together”, has set up a small shop for producing boxes with tissues. He says that the Program helps him feel that from a nothing he is becoming a person with a real Goal. He wants to give people with limited physical abilities a chance to feel like regular citizens instead of being dependents lost for society. At present, all the business processes of his project are being coordinated and in two weeks the first batch of products should be put out. The staff has already been selected. Aleksan tells them that their salaries will be transferred to bank accounts and that they will use ATMs as all other people. He adds that the program “Improving Communities Right Now!”  is tangibly contributing to the development of a business potential in community members and is giving hope for the future to those who now have jobs thanks to it.

 

Olga Flolova, director of Nevyansk Small Business Support Foundation