UniCredit Tiriac Bank grants EUR 35,000 for social enterprise

The UniCredit Foundation and UniCredit Tiriac Bank, in partnership with the NESst Foundation Romania, will provide EUR 35,000 in financing for the winning projects of the Your Choice, Your Project competition, which sustains the development of local social entrepreneurs.

The four projects were selected from a list 19 invited social enterprises. Each received EUR 7,500 in financing, while a bonus of EUR 2,000 was granted for the most popular project, which was voted by the lender’s employees. The competition budget was EUR 3,000.

“Although relatively new in Romania, the UniCredit Foundation has developed projects since 2007 in the filed of social enterprises, and benefiting from the know-how of our colleagues, we hope that we can usher in major changes locally,” said Anca Nuta, Identity and Communication director at UniCredit Tiriac Bank.

The social enterprises that received financing are already active locally and will use the money to acquire new equipment or cover personnel expenditure.

The Prietenia Association will use the grant to build a bakery that will create up to three jobs for the intellectually disabled. Its BIOHRANA social enterprise already grows fruits and vegetables, which cover the needs of the Sociotherapy Center in Pantelimon. The new facility will provide bakery products for the Center and will finance 20 percent of its annual budget. This social enterprise received the popularity grant.

The PLAN INFO enterprise, developed by the Ruhama Association, will set up a wicker plantation and promote its workshop online. It will create 10 new jobs for the rroma people. The products are exported to Austria and the association is negotiating a second export contract.

The ALBA CA ZAPADA enterprise, set up by Ajutati Copiii Romania Foundation, will create four jobs in the cleaning services team by acquiring new equipment. Aside from cleaning, the enterprise provides laundry and tailoring services. Its mobile team offers maintenance services for green spaces.

Dezvoltarea Popoarelor Foundation seeks to consolidate its MOSAIC PROJECT enterprise. It wants to add new equipment, in a move to boost sales of mosaic tiles. The foundation aims a monthly turnover of up to EUR 8,000, while keeping the 14 work places.

Ovidiu Posirca