Enhanced Small and Medium Sized Business Development Project

Winrock International, in partnership with Counterpart International, the Sakhalin Association of Business People, Center for Investment and Support (Prognoz), Counterpart Enterprise Fund, and the Russian Microfinance Center, is working to increase the number of successful small businesses and improve the environment for small businesses in the Russian Far East. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development, the Enhanced Small and Medium Sized Business Development Project (ESD) has four primary objectives:

1. Reduce the burden of regulations on SMES by increasing SME association advocacy;
2. Increase the availability of credit for SMES and entrepreneurs;
3. Provide and increase the availability of advanced business and sector-specific training skills; and
4. Build capacity of sector-specific associations by working through them to provide sector-specific consultancies.

The Russian Microfinance Center, together with its partners, is responsible for the training and consulting components of the project. In 2003 the RMC conducted research on the supply and demand for microfinance services in Republic of Sakha and Chita region. You may find an electronic version of this research through this link. In close collaboration with the Association of Credit Cooperatives of the Far East region and the First Association of Lending Institutions of the Republic of Sakha, the RMC has already successfully conducted two loan officer trainings. In the coming year the RMC will conduct two additional training programs as well as to make a presentation about microfinance to regional bank representatives. More detailed information on the RMC training schedule can be found in the Calendar section of the web site.