TERNOPIL, Ukraine, 25 April 2024 – The InSource Centre for Development of Initiatives, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has provided equipment sets for eight new information support points for entrepreneurs (ISPEs) in communities across Ternopil Oblast in central western Ukraine. Each equipment set includes computer equipment and furniture for the employees and visitors to the consultation point.

ISPEs are designed to assist communities throughout Ukraine in implementing local business development strategies, taking into consideration local economic conditions. They are also places where local authorities can collaborate with local entrepreneurs to achieve common goals.

Representatives of UNDP in Ukraine took part in the equipment transfer: Maksym Boroda, Private Sector Development Project Manager, and Mustafa Sait-Ametov, Regional Development Programme manager.

Boroda emphasized the relevance of such information points for local economic recovery, noting that the success of this initiative depends on the synergy of various components: “For us, the motivation for further work is to make this network of consultation centers cohesive, so that these are not just separate consultation points that help businesses in their community, but that they cooperate with each other and exchange experiences.”

The transfer of equipment is only part of the project: Creating consultation centres is not just about equipping the premises and purchasing technology, but also requires training and upgrading the skills of the staff to whom businesses can turn for help. 

InSource, together with the UNDP in Ukraine, aim to achieve significant results over six months of working together on this initiative. Training has already begun for the staff of the consultation centres to ensure they have up-to-date knowledge about project management, business plan development, partner financing, and the use of online resources.

The initiative is being implemented as part of the “Enhanced Partnership for Sustainable Recovery” project, which is funded by the Government of Sweden.

This project is also designed to meet the needs of Ukraine in wartime. It is aimed at strengthening local capabilities to better integrate sustainable development strategies that address the conflict crisis, and to help them plan for post-war recovery. 

The project will aid in the development of local initiatives to improve the economic prospects of people affected by the war, and will provide them with access to public services. It uses a problem-solving approach that has previously proved to be effective in addressing social and economic challenges in local communities across Ukraine. 

The project is being implemented in five Ukrainian oblasts: Chernivtsi, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Vinnytsia, and Volyn.

Media inquiries:

Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications, UNDP in Ukraine; email: yuliia.samus@undp.org