The Coalition of Women Business Associations in Romania – CAFA (www.cafa.ro) organized its annual conference - 7^th edition on June 12-13 in Ocna Sibiului, Romania. The event brought together representatives of nine women business associations all over Romania, public officials and media representatives. The conference titled “The Time for Entrepreneurial Courage” provided a forum for discussion of economic issues faced by women entrepreneurs and strategies to address these issues. The guest speakers, representatives of the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection and Ministry of SMEs, Trade and Business Environment, presented some of the support programs available for small and medium sized enterprises in the tourism, manufacturing and services sectors and answered questions about these programs and eligibility criteria. I gave a presentation on CIPE’s recent programs targeting women entrepreneurs.

Continue reading ‘Time for Entrepreneurial Courage: CAFA 7th Annual Conference’ »

Starting from May 2008 a private bank active on the Romanian market, Credit Europe Bank, has decided to get involved in supporting business women. It launched a campaign dedicated to women entrepreneurs under the slogan “Women Love to Hear Nice Figures”. Any SME where at least one woman is shareholder, manager or administrator is eligible for participation. The bank provides a wide range of credits and savings products for SMEs under favorable conditions to companies owned or managed by women. As part of this campaign the bank also launched a portal dedicated exclusively to business women (www.femeiadeafaceri.ro).
Besides the information about the bank’s products, the portal highlights success stories of women entrepreneurs and supporters of women entrepreneurship. The portal is available in Romanian and English.

The Romanian Ministry of SMEs, Trade, Tourism and Liberal  Professions - Constanta Office for SMEs and Cooperatives organized the “Days of Women Entrepreneurs” event in Constanta on September 19, 2008. The event is part of a program that provides assistance and training to women entrepreneurs at the beginning of their careers. Carmen Stanila gave a presentation on CIPE’s experience in working with women business associations and women entrepreneurs worldwide and in the Balkan region. She spoke of CIPE’s current women’s programs in Afghanistan, Yemen and Bangladesh and highlighted CIPE Romania’s work with women business associations over the last 5 years. She presented CIPE Romania’s major initiatives for women business associations - the Coalition of Women Business associations in Romania (CAFA) and the Coalition of Balkan Women Business Associations. The presentation also touched on the “Women of Success” CD as an effective tool to promote women entrepreneurs in Romania and in the Balkan region and also as a resource for young women who want to start a business.