Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- At the end of 2020, in order to mitigate the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations (MELR), together with UNDP, launched a program to support small business initiatives and self-employment of vulnerable groups of the population, including women and youth.

This program is aimed at improving the skills of the population in doing business, as well as providing technical assistance in the form of equipment for the implementation of their business projects. The initiative is being implemented within the framework of a joint project of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the United Nations Development Program “Promotion of Youth Employment in Uzbekistan”.

So, on 25 May, a ceremony was held in Andijan to transfer equipment to representatives of small and medium-sized businesses to launch new and expand existing business projects. It is worth noting that the participants of this initiative were selected on a competitive basis on such criteria as the number of new jobs created for women and youth, the possibilities and potential for dissemination and replication of the project in the future, the potential for ensuring social impact on improving professional skills, employment opportunities and expanding sources. income for women and youth.

The event was attended by the Deputy Khokim of Andijan region, the Director of the Labor Project Management Center under the MELR, the Head of the Regional Employment Department of the MELR, representatives of the territorial departments of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Ministry for Support of the Mahalla and Family and the Yoshlar-kelajagimiz Foundation, as well as entrepreneurs receiving equipment.

The entrepreneurs received 55 units of production equipment and special equipment for a total amount of 222 million soums free of charge. As a result of the implementation of these entrepreneurial initiatives in Andijan region, 34 new jobs will be created for women and youth, and 17 women and youth representatives will have the opportunity to study modern professions and develop entrepreneurship skills.

Activities of the selected entrepreneurship projects:

Creation of a family sewing workshop for sewing school uniforms, seasonal women's and children's clothing;

Creation of a training center for teaching children computer literacy, journalism, foreign languages and literature;

Organization of the production of modern women's clothing in the national style;

Organization of production of national clothes and costumes, training and employment of youth in accordance with the traditions of “usta-shogird”;

Organization of production of children's knitted clothing for the local market;

Organization of production of knitted products;

Organization of computer services such as typing and printing documents, photocopying, scanning, etc.