Thirteen  business ideas, all of them developed by persons with intellectual disabilities and their family members within the Small Business Incubator organized by Keystone Moldova with the support of Open Society Foundation / Mental Health Initiative, were presented publicly.

Persons with disabilities and their families face poverty mainly because of insufficient social benefits and unemployment. Thus, a small business would become an additional source of income. Therefore, Keystone Moldova jointly with Winrock Moldova provides counseling and assistance to adults with disabilities and their families in developing small businesses that would ensure them permanent and sustainable income.

The committee for selection and approval of business plans heard 13 presentations of business ideas: growing quails for eggs and meat; massage services; mushroom farm; growing tomatoes in a greenhouse; incubating eggs and selling chickens; wall block manufacture; decoration and jewelry making; raising  rabbits; growing nutrias; hairdressing; growing greens, tomatoes and cucumbers; car repair shop; growing strawberries in a greenhouse.

Most business ideas are based on a hobby or a profession that the person prefers. However, the potential businessmen took the economic context into account when developing their business plans: market demand, necessary investment, risks, competition and other important factors.

“We want to raise  rabbits. Our goal is to give the young people placed in the service a permanent job and a sound income. All our attempts to find jobs for them failed, so starting a business would be a real possibility for them to practice an activity that gives them pleasure and, at the same time, generates profit”, declared Ion Digori, service coordinator for the Supported Living Service in Orhei.

“By starting a business we want to make a living for our family so we wouldn’t have to go abroad for work again”, said Mariana Rotari, author of the business idea.

The committee provided recommendations on improvement or revision for some of the business plans, and  they will be presented  for reexamination and approval.

Authors of winning business ideas will be awarded small grants of up to $2,000 (including equipment and materials). After starting their business, the winners will receive professional training in the respective field based on their needs, as well as assistance in implementing their business ideas, developing necessary investment seeking projects or for other such purposes.

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