The Center for Supporting Rural Entrepreneurship ‘Komarovo’ is one of the few independent NGOs operating in rural areas in Belarus. The Center carries out its activities in the agriculturally rich Naroch Lake area with the high potential of attracting tourists, however it is permanently faced with serious problems arising from the land use structure (consolidated ownership – being a relic of soviet era). Moreover, region’s unfavorable social structure due to the negative net-migration hampers organization’s efforts to create entrepreneurial clusters (on the basis of owned property) in order to stimulate development of rural entrepreneurship in the area. ‘Komarovo’ Center was interested in making use of the post-soviet transition experience made by the lead applicant – the Pluznica Community Development Association.

The strategic goal of the project was to support the development of entrepreneurship in the Belarusian countryside, as well as to build a civil society in Belarus by involving local entrepreneurs in socially valuable initiatives and creating conditions conducive to establish an association of local business leaders. To achieve these aims series of training workshops in Pluznica focused on building institutional capacity in defining and solving local problems and creating socially responsible business were delivered to the representatives of rural NGOs from Naroch region, in frame of the tailored study tour to Poland.

Development Policy Foundation has taken part in proposal development and implementation of the project coordinated by the Pluznica Community Development Association, financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland under ‘Supporting Belarusian Society 2011’ programme.

To find out more about the project have a look at the project’s promotional video available here or download projects final evaluation report available in Polish language.

Evaluation report – The best Polish experience in supporting local entrepreneurship and microenterprise associations