Project period: October 2026 – September 2027

Project donor: Secours Populaire Français

Project partners: Improve Yourself

Project budget: €177,532

The Small Business Support School for women is a program that strengthens the economic resilience and self-reliance of internally displaced (IDP) women in collective sites, as well as other vulnerable women such as spouses of military personnel. The program does this by helping 364 women build income-generating skills and start small businesses.

About 3.9 million people remained internally displaced in Ukraine, most of them state that they have either used or exhausted livelihood-based survival strategies. By 2024, only 48% of displaced women were employed, compared to 71% of men, and women earned 41.4% less than men in 2023, doubling the pay gap since 2021.

Women living in collective sites are the most vulnerable, as additionally to struggles created by displacement, their employment is constrained by caregiving responsibilities. Women in collective sites experience higher rates of poverty and mental health challenges. Mondo’s survey of IDP women in collective sites in Zaporizka and Dnipropetrovska oblasts found that every respondent had dependents, 36% had considered starting a business, 60% named insufficient knowledge as a barrier, and 72% listed business basics and financial planning as their top training need.

Throughout this year Mondo with the Ukrainian partnerorganisation Improve Yourself adapts the proven Small Business Support School model to displacement settings. In Zhytomyr region, participants complete a five-module business training, with psychological support built in. A parallel online version is delivered to IDP women in the other three oblasts by Mondo regional coordinators, who first receive training of trainers. In Sumy, Kharkiv and Dnipro, partner VET centres run hybrid vocational courses of at least 1.5 months in nail technology, hairdressing, catering and tailoring, with travel stipends and practical experience in real businesses. Graduates receive startup kits, and 15 competitive small grants to provide equipment and setup support. Participants also receive mentoring, coaching and peer support.

Project Manager:
Oleksandra Zurian
olexandra.zuryan@mondo.org.ee