Splashes of red, pink and yellow flowers dot the vibrant hues of green in a greenhouse and gift shop nestled in the village of Colibași, in the southwestern part of the Republic of Moldova. The owner is a girl with Down syndrome who had always dreamed of opening her own business.

The six-day “How to Start a Business” course taught women in Georgia how to generate start-up ideas and validate them, as well as how to build the right team and create a product. They also developed strategic and innovative thinking, and learned about planning and product distribution, financial documentation, business modeling and investment proposals.

For the first time in North Macedonia, registered women agricultural producers will have an opportunity to benefit from financial support which aims to strengthen their agro-businesses and reduce persisting inequalities among women and men in the sector.

Bakirova Kyzdarkan is one of 124 women who have been elected to local water user councils across Kyrgystan, where water scarcity is threatening the livelihoods of many. She is mobilizing women in her community to advocate for equal access to water, and because of her work, several women now serve on local water management councils.

With the support of UN Women, an economic empowerment project in Albania is helping rural women cultivate their business skills and increase their income by forming cooperatives.

Offering advice on the job market, agriculture and land laws, the innovative “one-stop shop” model has already helped more than 10,000 women and men, in Moldova’s countryside.