In the Stepanakert Office of the Turpanjian Rural Development Program of AUA took place business plans presentation

STEPANAKERT, MAY 16, ARTSAKHPRESS: During the training, the beneficiaries of the program with the help of professionals have prepared their business plans and submitted them to the jury, which includes credit and business professionals from various partner banks. Various business ideas were presented by the beneficiaries, including greenhouse, dried fruit, furniture production,  bee-keeping,  poultry farming, dentistry, etc.

In case of approval of business plans, beneficiaries will receive financial support in the form of a business loan, annually paying 6% interest rate, will establish their businesses in their own communities, while the specialists of the project will constantly support the beneficiaries with their consultations.

The beneficiaries of the program are from different regions of Artsakh and rural communities, in case they have success, they will be able to create jobs for their own fellow-villagers.

“The courses made a great impression on me. Thanks to the training, I can now conduct more skilled accounting procedures. I also think that the raising  of the quality of service is very important,” said Artak Khachatryan, who applied for the program in order to expand his dental business and deliver new services in Martuni.

“Due to courses, we have studied marketing theory, taxation, learned to comply business plans independently. This knowledge will help us both in the management of our own business, and in everyday life,” said beneficiary Serob Petrosyan, who, having own fruit garden, decided to use the harvest from his own garden more effectively and establish dried fruit business in Mijnavan, Kashatag region.

The program continues. For new applications one can apply to offices of the  AUA’s Turpanjian Rural Development Program in Stepanakert, Gyumri, Ijevan, Yeghegnadzor, as well as in Ninotsminda.

The American University of Armenia’s Turpanjian Rural Development Program (TRDP) provides education and economic opportunities to people in rural areas of the Republic of Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Javakhk to encourage rural development, create jobs, and improve communities. 

In 2006, Gerald Turpanjian, long-time benefactor and international philanthropist, donated $5 million to the American University of Armenia (AUA) for encouraging economic development in rural areas. As a result, the Turpanjian Rural Development Program was created to provide education and assistance to rural entrepreneurs.