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Joint press conference of Resource Center Foundation and Microfund EAD
On 26 April 2004 at Sofia Press Agency a press conference was held where the managements of the Resource Center Foundation and Microfund EAD acquainted the journalists with the balance of their activity during the past 5 years, as well as with their future intentions and plans. The following officers participated in the press conference:
Steliyan Stoychev General Manager of Resource Center Foundation, Chairman of the Board and General Manager of Microfund Foundation, Sofia, Chairman of the Management Board and Executive Director of Microfund EAD
Rayna Timcheva Microfund Sofia - District
Georgi Breskovski Microfund EAD
Neli Ivanova Social Readjustment Program, Resource Center Foundation
Kaloyan Pargov Social Readjustment Program, Resource Center Foundation
Diana Naydenova Professional Training Center
During the past 5 years the team of the Foundation worked on various projects and programs related to the missions and the goals of the organization. Some of the programs were successfully completed such as the Resource Assistance to NGO, Inter-sector Partnership, other continue their work or transform it into new directions Social Readjustment of the Discharged Military Staff, Training and Consultations, Loans to Non-Government Organizations, and third ones expanded their activities to the level of their separation as an independent institution the Micro Lending Program. Thus in 2002 Microfund EAD was established, a successor of the Micro Lending Program with a sole owner Microfund Foundation Sofia, which activities are oriented to funding of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Bulgaria in regions with high unemployment levels and low economic growth. 215 municipalities are covered, which are being served by 10 branches and 7 offices. Various micro lending products were created to assist the small business. More than 1300 loans were extended at the total amount of BGN 16 600 000 and more than 1000 new jobs were created. 150 companies starting their activities were supported. Our intentions and the ambitions at this stage are to transform Microfund EAD into a banking institution as soon as possible. In this respect Steliyan Stoychev withdraws from all positions currently taken in the Microfund Foundation and Microfund EAD, namely Chairman of the Board and General Manager of the Foundation and Chairman and Executive Director of Microfund EAD. This step is prompted by his intentions to participate in the establishment of a new financial and investment institution, which might result in a potential conflict of interests with the Microfund. At the same time he will continue as General Manager of Resource Center Foundation, where no such potential conflict of interest with the new structure exists. At the beginning of 2004 A Professional Training Center was established and already functions to Microfund Foundation Sofia. By virtue of license No 2003 12142 of the National Agency for Professional Education and Training /NAPET/ the center started professional training, qualification and re-qualification in 8 professions and it has licensed branches in 12 towns throughout the country. The Resource Center Foundation continues its active work under the Social Readjustment of the Discharged Military Staff Program, which is implemented jointly with the Ministry of Defense. The reforms in the Bulgarian army related to bringing it in compliance with the NATO standards continue, which requires the discharging of new groups of military staff and their transfer into civil life. The Program is looking for new forms and means to assist the state in this difficult social issue and its resolution at the lowest social price both for the society, and for the military staff affected by the reform. Recently the Resource Center Foundation created a new product to assist the military staff an Internet Job gate, which is already active and can be visited at http://jobs.ngorc.net. Our ambition is to turn this website into a virtual employment exchange, where, without wasting time and effort to meet employers with discharged military staff. Currently a team of the Social Readjustment Program is working on the creation of a National Military Properties Conversion Program, for properties, which are no longer needed for the Bulgarian army.
Joint project among Resource Center Foundation, Regional Economic Development and Investments Agency Dobrich and Agro-Business Center Silistra In 2004 the joint project Private Business second chance for realization among Resource Center Foundation, Agency for Regional Economic Development and Investments in Dobrich and Agro-Business Center Silistra will be implemented. The project was supported and financed by the PHARE Program, Labor Market Initiatives Project. Project execution period is 10 months and will be implemented on the territory of Dobrich district, where there are a high percentage of redundant military servicemen. It starts in January 2004. The main project goal is reduction of unemployment in Dobrich district by increase of economic activities and enterprising among unemployed ex-militaries. The redundant military servicemen of the Dobrich and Balchik garrisons have high level education and good organizational and leadership skills. They are compelled to adapt to civil life and find their realization. They have good chances to acquire start up capital and to provide credit financial security. Based on all these prerequisites they are an appropriate target group that can acquire enterprising skills and knowledge for setting up private business. The successful transforming of the military servicemen into employers will provide vacancies not only for them but also for other unemployed in the region. The main project activities include the conducting of motivation training to the target group on the development of private business; training on setting up of an own business with additional modules for business planning, marketing, financial and human resource management. A consultation by a board of experts during the start up and development period of the future companies until they reach a sustainable and successful imposing on the market will be provided. Most enterprising redundant military servicemen during the training will be stimulated by organized visits to specialized exhibitions for establishing relations with potential contractors. Expected specific project results are: - 6 specialized modules conducted for set-up and management of the business with 40 pre-selected redundant military servicemen; - a minimum of 500 specialized consulting services and 40 developed business plans and applications for credit; - a minimum of 15 new registered companies.
On "You
have done an outstanding job and I am quite happy not only to be
here, but, also to deliver this message to you
What we have to
do, it should not be only known here by the country, it should not
be only known by the region but we have to say it also outside
Many thanks and a deep respect for the job done, and I am asking you
to continue under the challenges existing the challenges of
Common Europe " With
these words Mr. Erhard Busek addressed the hosts and highly
estimated the social and economic success of the program not only
for Asked
if the Stability Pact would support the Military base Conversion
Pilot Project, Mr. Busek answered that this is a responsibility and
that the donors society even out of the European Union would have to
be convinced to grant the Project with respect the stability of the
region. |
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For more information, please write us to info@ngorc.net |
