YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, ARMENPRESS. 1000 social businesses will be established in Artsakh aimed at providing its residents with their own stable income, promoting entrepreneurship and raising their life quality.

“1000 Armenians families from Armenia and the Diaspora will invest for the establishment of these businesses. The initiative is already at a practical stage. According to the agreement reached with Director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Haykak Arshamyan, 100 out of these 1000 businesses (greenhouses) will be implemented with their support”, Armenia’s ministry of labor and social affairs said in a statement.

The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) has also welcomed the initiative and will make an investment.

On the sidelines of this initiative a social entrepreneurship week has started in Artsakh from August 28 at the initiative of Armenia’s ministry of labor and social affairs and the government of Artsakh, in joint partnership with the School of Social Entrepreneurs and the Yunus Center of the State University of Gavar.

During his visit in Artsakh, Armenia’s minister of labor and social affairs Narek Mkrtchyan met with the participants of the program. In his remarks he emphasized the importance of this program, stating that this will enable the residents of Artsakh to acquire social business skills, and noting that the best business ideas will be funded.

The minister also stated that the ministry has switched from social assistance programs to development programs and aims at creating a sustainable development environment, calling this program as one of the first steps of their vision.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan