Project News

BIP has been implementing "Mini-financing" as the pilot scheme, supporting the returned migrants forced to come back to Tajikistan from the migrated countries, such as Russia, due to the pandemic of COVID-19, and wish to start his/her own business or to expand the existing business, by providing the necessary equipment and/or tool upon the completion of "Basic of Business" training (please refer to the Project News, October 8. 2021). The initiative has been started in Kulyab, one of the target areas, and as of the end of December 2021, a total of 255 returned migrants participated in the training. Kulyab, Khatlon region, is known as a conservative region observing Islamic tradition quite strictly, where participating in the co-ed trainings is taken as unconventional. Taking this into account, BIP has developed a female trainer, and started conducting trainings for all-female groups.

Ms. Firuza, one of the participants, told us why she came to join the training: "I decided to participate in this training, because I have heard the course would be taught by a female trainer, and the coordinator is also a female. Even if the group is all-female, my family wouldn't have allowed me to participate, if the trainer would be a male."

Most of the female participants went to Russia and worked in the service industry, such as restaurants and cafes, but they have skills on sewing, gained through their childhood at home, and most of the participants are dreaming to have their own sewing studio. In Kulyab, preserving the traditional culture, women tend to wear the traditional dress which are usually order-made, therefore, sewing business after acquiring some basic business skill has potential to be succeed. On the other hand, BIP is hoping that out of these participants would go one step further, utilizing the knowledge gained at the training, differentiating their products and service line and sewing/selling something other than traditional dresses. It is expected to see the progress and development through the Project's monitoring activity.

BIP will keep working with entrepreneurs, respecting their tradition and culture, and supporting their start-up initiatives.