Albania PLGP: Women’s Small Business Program uses Digital Delivery to Overcome COVID-19 Restrictions

The program was launched in late 2019 by the Planning and Local Governance Project (PGLP), a USAID initiative. PGLP conducted Gender-Sensitive Value Chain Analyses in six partner municipalities, including Kamëz, to advocate for inclusive economic development and recognize the contributions of women to current operations. The program selected 30 women with diverse backgrounds, including single heads of household, unemployed, and registered victims of domestic violence, to participate in a mentorship framework. The framework consisted of three phases: classroom training, individual/group coaching, and practical business planning. The program aimed to empower women to refine their business ideas into concrete plans and move forward as entrepreneurs. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, PGLP adapted the program to be delivered virtually. The program's activities were crucial in a post-pandemic economy, where women faced increased economic stress and isolation. The virtual delivery of the program allowed women to participate in online training sessions, coaching, and business planning. Despite initial technical challenges, all participants were able to download software and engage in online interactions with the help of their children, relatives, and friends. The program's virtual delivery enabled 15 women to finalize their business plans successfully. The program's success was attributed to lateral thinking and creative problem-solving during times of uncertainty. The program not only empowered individual women but also built a sense of community among participants, who moved forward together as positive agents of change within Kamëz. The Women's Small Business Program aims to strengthen the entrepreneurship skills and business acumen of marginalized women in Kamëz. Participants are now able to understand and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset and framework, advance their abilities for innovative business generation, financial planning, contracting, product development, sales, and marketing, develop a basic business plan, and pitch their ideas to investors. The program provides guidance through all phases of business planning and implementation, laying a strong foundation for building a new future.