Natalia is among 10 women entrepreneurs who were awarded financial vouchers totaling 500,000 lei. The support is provided by Efes Moldova through its social program “Prietenește pentru Femei“ and complements the training and mentoring of the #SheLeads program implemented by UN Women Moldova in partnership with the Association for Entrepreneurship Training and Development (AFAD) and Global Business Access (GBA) within the EVOLVE4GE project funded by the European Union.
The financial vouchers are intended for the development of women entrepreneurs’ business – be it the purchase of equipment, expansion of production, launching new products or services, or strengthening market positions.
Women entrepreneurs awarded under the program:
Olga Karabulea – educational services for children, INTELLECT-ART LLC, mun. Yedinets;
Sylvia Kristal – catering services, s. Kosauts, Soroca district;
Silvia Rynja – English language courses, “BRIHUNET ENGLISH” Ltd, Orhei;
Natalia Calmiş – agriculture, G.T. “CALMIŞ NATALIA”, Penasesti village, Straseni district;
Lilia Balanuta – real estate management and maintenance, “HOUSE FLOOR” Ltd, Molesti v., Ialoveni district;
Tatiana Paduraru – production of dairy products and cheese, v. Roşietici Vechi, Floreşti district;
Victoria Gulpe – production and sale of granola, “GRANOLEYA MIX” Ltd, Chisinau mun. Chisinau;
Valentina Buhna – production of snacks by dehydration, “FLAVORYA COM” Ltd, Vărzăreşti village, Nisporeni district;
Natalia Dumbrava – fruit processing and canning, “FRUCTEDOR-SUCCES” Ltd, Catranik v., Falesti district;
Oksana Tomoian – quail breeding, AI, Baurci-Moldoveni village, Cahul district.
The recipients were selected through a competitive and transparent process. At the voucher award ceremony, the participants presented their plans on how they will use the financial support to increase economic and social impact in their communities.
“With the grant, I will launch two new courses for children – Technical Robotics and Digital Painting. This way, I will be able to increase the number of participants from 50 to 70 and give even more children the opportunity to discover modern education through play and creativity,” said Olga Karabulea, founder of Intelect Art LLC, mun. Edinets.
In addition to financial resources, which are an investment in women’s potential and courage, the event provided an opportunity for female entrepreneurs to increase their visibility, highlight their professional path and inspire other women to launch and develop their businesses.
Alpan ACPECE, General Director of Efes Moldova, said:
“With our project “Prietenește pentru Femei”, we express our respect and support for all women in Moldova who have chosen to stay at home, raise their children here and contribute to their communities. Every woman who starts a business, even a small one, is a family left at home, a potential job for another woman or man, a contribution to the local budget and community development, and a step forward for the Republic of Moldova.”
Dominica Stoianosca, UN Women Country Representative in Moldova, emphasized the importance of partnerships:
“We deeply appreciate EFES’ commitment to promoting gender equality. This initiative is an example of how donors and the private sector can join forces to achieve greater impact. On the one hand, with EU support, UN Women has partnered with AFAD and GBA to provide training and mentoring. On the other hand, EFES complements these efforts with financial resources, helping women entrepreneurs take the next step towards financial independence.”
Eugenia Hiora, Social Affairs and Gender Equality Officer at the EU Delegation to Moldova, said:
“This ceremony is not just about handing out vouchers. It is a celebration of courage, perseverance and following dreams that become real businesses. For the EU, entrepreneurship is not only an economic engine, but also a form of freedom, a path to equality. Women-owned businesses have proven that they invest more in families, communities and local economies. Supporting them is not just the right thing to do, but the smart choice.”
The “Prietenește pentru Femei“ program has been implemented by Efes Moldova since 2021 and aims to support women in the economic and social spheres.
To date, 37 women have already benefited from the program. Thanks to the partnership with UN Women Moldova and the EU-funded EVOLVE4GE project, the impact of the program has been significantly enhanced.
The financial support from Efes Moldova complements the knowledge and training provided by UN Women and helps women entrepreneurs to realize their ideas, develop their businesses, strengthen their financial independence and contribute to the sustainable economic development of the country.
Anna Botescu, an entrepreneur who has already received 2 grants from Efes Moldova – “Prieteneste pentru femei” in 2022 and “Prieteneste pentru turism” in 2024. She is the owner of Campung pe toloaca from the village of Milestii Mici, Nisporeni district, and she came to share her experience with other women entrepreneurs.
