Entrepreneurship can lead to economic growth and stability. Young, starting entrepreneurs in post-conflict areas need some extra support to start their business successfully. SPARK organises business support through it's 5 Business Start-up Centers, which can vary from micro-loans to coaching or production space. Read here about the stories of the starting entrepreneurs.
Ritmiko
Entrepreneur:
Fatos
Ceta Product:
Recording studio Location: Pristina,
Kosovo Jobs created:
1 Indirect jobs created: 0
BSC Support: Training; €3300 loan
'Ritmiko' is a small recording studio started by Fatos Ceta.
With a credit from BSCK Fatos installed a soundproof recording space in his
work place in southern Pristina.
Arben Nika, owner of plum and apple orchard "Keni Ekolog"
outside Drenas, Kosovo
Arben won the best business plan competition in February
2010. He took part in the Drenas training held in cooperation with USAID KPEP. For
his new idea of an apple orchard he won 2000 EUR from USAID as a grant and used
a 10.000 EUR loan through BSCK.
Only a year ago, Valton Berisha was living in
Switzerland . The 1990s were difficult times in Kosovo and Valton left Kosovo in 1992 to build a future in
Western Europe . When he heard of the entrepreneurship program of Business Start-up Centre Kosovo he decided to go back to Pristina for 3 weeks to participate in the business skills training in April 2007. In the end he completed the whole program and came up with one of the winning business plans. Since October 2007, his newly started enterprise Global Alliance network (GAN) is a fact.
Entrepreneur: Rromir Shalqini Product: Cardboard packing Location: Prizren, Kosovo Jobs created: 4 full time (production & logistics) Indirect jobs: 20 part-time (used paper collection) Total investment: 20.000 Euro BSC Support: Training; € 5.000 loan
A year ago, Romir was a student in Pristina. He participated in the first business plan competition organized by Business Start-up Centre (BSC) Kosovo. As a result of the training program he acquired the skills to start and run a business. He came up with one of the best business plans and won 100 hours consultancy and got access to a 4800 Euro loan. The loan enables him to build a credit history, which will help him to loan more in the future to expand his business. Without the financial investment and support of his family though, he would not have been able to start this company.
Rrul pak produces cardboard package materials. From fruit boxes and pizza boxes to fancy mobile phone packing. The cardboard is imported from
Bulgaria . At Rrul pack it is printed, cut and folded trough a semi-automated process into the final product.
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