The assistance from USAID supports rural citizens in Belarus in becoming more enterprising and empowers them with new knowledge and tools for establishing and running their own businesses.
After participating in USAID-supported training, the Khavriuk family of beekeepers improved their business structure and mead making technology, expanded the variety of honey products, and added producing souvenirs and gardening to their business. “We understood clearly the importance of business planning, keeping records, and monitoring incomes and expenditures. We learned how sales could be increased by working individually with every client, and that we could be more skillful in catering to the needs of our clients by producing a wider variety of products,” said Anastasiya Khavriuk.
The project workshops and masterclasses also empowered the Khavriuks with the knowledge of key business legal topics and marketing techniques. “Now we understand how to avoid legal mistakes, which documents are required to operate legally, and how the business of an artisan differs from that of other business entities. We are now aware of the rights and entitlements of a homestead owner, and how our trademark can boost profits,” said Alexander Khavriuk.
Thanks to utilizing new approaches learned through USAID-supported educational activities, the Khavriuks were able to significantly improve the quality and diversity of their product line. As a result, they’ve succeeded in keeping their business running despite the current challenging economic situation in Belarus.
Since its start in 2014, the USAID Increasing Access to Finance for the Rural Population project invested in fostering entrepreneurial thinking among rural residents and expanding their opportunities to start and develop their own businesses.
Out of over 900 Belarussian rural residents and employees of microenterprises trained by the USAID project, 98 percent of trainees reported they improved their knowledge in entrepreneurship, business planning, financial management, agricultural and small business technologies, and other rural self-employment opportunities and business management competencies.
