European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) announced cooperation with Armenian Young Women’s Association (AYWA) under new Women in Business Programme to launch in 2015.

The Women in Business Programme in Armenia will assist women-led enterprises to access finance and know-how via dedicated credit-lines for women-led businesses through local banks, and the provision of tailored advisory services, entrepreneurial skills training, business coaching, mentoring as well as with networking opportunities.

The Women in Business Programme will also help to develop sustainable credit mechanisms targeted to women-led enterprises through provision of technical assistance to the EBRD’s local partner banks.  

Under the Women in Business Programme, the EBRD and the Armenian Young Women’s Association (AYWA) will work together to promote women’s entrepreneurship and access to key business development services.

In Armenia, the Small Business Support team of EBRD helps small and medium-sized businesses grow, succeed, then grow again becoming genuine catalysts for their local economies. The EBRD team helps to connect its clients to local consultants and international advisers, who can help to further transform a wide range of businesses. From the smallest looking to grow to those going global, our expert network of doers, thinkers and advisers help our clients to step up and start thinking big.  We support businesses from many industries, such as food and beverages, wholesale and retail distribution and construction and engineering.

Founded in 2004 with more than 30,000 current members, AYWA's mission is to lead social change and to achieve equal opportunities and recognition for all Armenian women. In 2011, AYWA founded the Women Entrepreneurs’ Network of Armenia which currently holds more than 3,000 members.

“We believe that, when market failures are addressed, obstacles removed and women-led SMEs are given equal opportunities, they can deliver in terms of economic performance and job creation,” said Mark Davis, EBRD Head of Office in Yerevan.
 
”Women have huge capacity to contribute in the development of Armenia’s economy. We are happy and welcome the cooperation with EBRD. AYWA contributes to the economic empowerment of women and our approach of promoting women’s participation in Armenia’s economy is close to that of EBRD’s values,” said Lilit Asatryan, President of Armenian Young Women’s Association.

“This is yet another step in gathering support to develop women entrepreneurship in Armenia.  We are happy to cooperate with AYWA in our Women in Business Programme and to reach out to its members,” noted Tigran Aghabekyan, EBRD Small Business Support National Programme Manager.

Over €8.7 million in donor funding has been committed to more than 1,000 EBRD advisory projects and market development activities for small businesses in Armenia since 2003.

The EBRD, owned by 64 countries and two intergovernmental institutions, is supporting the development of market economies and democracies. Follow us on the web, Facebook  and Twitter.