Vinnytsia Oblast Veterans to Receive UAH 1 Million for Entrepreneurial Ventures

A veterinary pharmacy, a Greco-Roman wrestling club, and a family-run greenhouse – these and other businesses will be launched or expanded in local communities by veteran men and women and their families within the framework of the Support for Micro-Entrepreneurship of War Veterans and Their Families: From Idea to Implementation in the Vinnytsia Oblast Contest of Business Ideas.

Ten winning projects were picked by independent experts out of the 60 submissions received from the contestants. Each initiative will be awarded a grant of up to UAH 100 thousand to facilitate its implementation. The total competition budget is UAH 6 million.

“We hope that the own businesses and the grants that the veterans will receive from the project will not only make people more active and capable but also give them a chance to live a fulfilling life in their villages and towns. We also expect that this initiative will promote the formation of a proactive local business community over a short time horizon,” says Mariana Narozhna, project coordinator.” 

MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation joined efforts with its strategic partner, MHP, to support the development of veteran businesses in communities within the framework of the MHP Poruch Program. This initiative encompasses individual assistance and comprehensive support to

“Today, it’s very important to keep money coming into local budgets and help local communities grow. This project will provide new sources of revenue and subsequently create new employment opportunities for Vinnytsia Oblast. This is of great significance for both the communities and the business owners who develop into conscious entrepreneurs, caring about the country and working transparently,” says Tetiana Volochai, Director of the MHP-Gromadi Charitable Foundation.  

Throughout the project course, the winners will receive mentoring support from experts and find out how to start, run, or expand their businesses.

A list of winners of the Support for Micro-Entrepreneurship of War Veterans and Their Families: From Idea to Implementation in the Vinnytsia Oblast Contest of Business Ideas: 

• Olympus Greco-Roman Wrestling Club (Viktoriia Koval, Mohyliv-Podilskyi);
• Family greenhouse. Growing vegetables and herbs in a greenhouse for sale (Vasyl Bobryk, Ladyzhyn);
• The History of the Brave Coffee Shop (Andrii Melnyk, Vinnytsia);
• Creating a pizza and shawarma production line in an existing shop and café (Volodymyr Bessarab, Trostianets);
• Greenhouse Flowers (Nelli Bezsinna, Krasnopilka);
• I’ll Embroider My Dream (Yuliia Ozimovska, Mohyliv-Podilskyi);
• Cargo transportation by grain trailer (Denys Brovko, Mazurivka village);
• Expanding the AVTODOC Auto Repair Shop (Oleksandr Vinnytskyi, Vapniarka); and
• Kaviarnia Coffee Shop (Viacheslav Poliuha, Ladyzhyn).

The project is being executed by the Vinnytsia Social Centre NGO jointly with the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, with the support of the MHP-Gromadi Foundation provided within the scope of the MHP Poruch, a comprehensive reintegration program for military personnel and veterans.