The Moldova Competitiveness Project (MCP), funded by USAID and Sweden, invests in targeted design, technology, and business-knowledge training for workers in the fashion industry. The project addresses education gaps and equips workers with creative and technical skills to increase the competitiveness of businesses. Through MCP, OldCom, a Moldovan shoe company, not only employs but improves…
At OldCom, one of Moldova’s most famous shoe manufacturers, production has transitioned from low-value technical and work footwear, to fashionable, modern shoes, but the people and processes in the factory struggled to keep up with demand. Until recently, all of OldCom’s products were conceptualized and sketched by a single designer, and materials were cut by…
The Moldova Competitiveness Project (MCP) SMART program (Streamline Manufacturing, Accountability, Resource efficiency and Transparency) supports large factories to assess risks, enhance productivity, and improve occupational health and safety. This results in more jobs, good working conditions, and salaries up to twice the national average for the thousands of women these factories employ. This is significant…
Iulian Gulea, a Young Moldovan programmer, came across the issue of how employers were struggling to connect youth with jobs, and vice versa. From that problem emerged the idea for an app that he developed with recruitment expert Eugeniu Girla, combining their expertise to create their startup GAUS. This app leverages Moldova’s expertise in Artificial…
Svetlana Arabadji, director and owner of the RiDiager apparel company based in Comrat, Gagauzia, envisioned her business as a good quality workplace providing decent salaries for rural women. This in turn would result in strong returns for her business: quality production with a lower turnover of seamstresses, and higher productivity. This vision is in alignment with the USAID- and Sweden-funded Moldova Competitiveness Project’s (MCP) strategy to enhance the…
Sustainable development requires attention to the multiple dimensions of economic, political, and social complexities, all of which interconnect. We know from our own experience that economic growth leads to changes in society and, thereby, corresponding changes in the relationships among government, private sector, social structures, and institutions. For example, increased international trade is likely to…
Kirk Ramer has over 25 years of experience managing projects to promote agricultural and small-and medium-sized enterprise development in southeastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. He is currently the chief of party of the Agribusiness Development Activity (ADA) in Uzbekistan. Kirk has worked to promote trade and investment and improve business education, microfinance, and…
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the Asia and Middle East Economic Growth Best Practices (AMEG) project in 2013. A five-year initiative with a shared ceiling of $69 million, AMEG enabled technical support teams in USAID’s Asia and Middle East bureaus to collaborate with USAID missions and operating units to identify and…
Luis Chavez has over 30 years of experience designing and managing economic growth projects in Latin America and Africa. As a Chemonics home office project director, he is responsible for managing projects in the Latin America and Caribbean region and designing new projects as part of the region’s business development efforts. These projects are primarily focused…
One of the major challenges facing the Lebanese economy is job creation, particularly for youth, university graduates, and women. Private sector job opportunities have not kept pace with the growing number of Lebanese citizens looking for work. To generate private sector employment, USAID’s Lebanon Enterprise Development project helps enterprises expand their activities; increase sales; and…
Wine is of significant importance to the Moldovan economy because it is one of the only products exported with its full value chain completed in-country and high employability in rural areas. The Moldovan wine sector has opened new markets and reoriented exports to the EU, China, and the U.S. by organizing promotion activities. The ‘Wine…