HANDICRAFT PROJECTS
INTERREG IIIA project „Business meets culture in Setomaa”
Project name: Promotion of the entrepreneurship in Setomaa based on local cultural
traditions
Duration: February 2006 – December 2007
Partners: The Union of Setomaa Rural Municipalities from Estonia and from Russian
side the Administration of Pechory district.
Overall objective: to develop entrepreneurship in Setomaa based on local cultural
traditions.
The project is mainly a training project, which should promote the entrepreneurship in
Setomaa related to handicraft. The trainings are targeted to the individuals, who are
willing to combine the handicraft with business and wish to earn a living using handicraft
skills.
Objectives
The main activities of the project are divided into 2 groups: activities related to the
development and promotion of Seto traditional handicraft and activities related to the
development of business skills of local persons, who wish to earn a living using
handicraft skills.
 To map the current situation of traditional handicraft skills in Setomaa
 To organize 16-days business training for 20 persons, who will get basic
knowledge about starting a business
 To organize handicraft training for 20 persons, who wish to earn a using with
handicraft skills
 To arrange the participation of the trainees in master-classes in Lindora, Izborsk
and Pechory fairs and to publish the promotional material
 To arrange the summer-schools for youth and children about Seto traditional
handicraft
 To establish networks between handicraft masters and businessmen in EastPechory and West-Setomaa
www.setomaa.ee
FEM – Female Entrepreneurs’ Meetings in the Baltic Sea Region
Time and place of activities: 2004-2007, whole Estonia
Project partners were from Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden and
Norway, Kaliningrad and Belarus regions were included as follow up partners.
Main driving force: Measures to improve and develop infrastructure, to enhance
distribution to markets, to enhance productivity and incomes in rural area
Goal and targets: Create a sustainable structure for the support of women’s
entrepreneurship and women’s active participation in labour market in rural areas.
Sustainable development of rural areas. Exchange of best practices through transnational
cooperation.
Outputs
 Creation of the transnational network of Resource Centres and Meeting Places to
strengthen the role of women in society and in local and regional development for
women
 Networks of training and exchange of experience for the advisers
 mentorship program for women entrepreneurs
 Networking in Network Credit Groups and other financial solutions for women
entrepreneurs
 internationalisation of women’s entrepreneurship
In Estonia
 created five regional resource centres, mentor groups and micro credit groups
 conducted a survey of female entrepreneurship with 600 respondents
 prepared a strategy and action plan for development of female entrepreneurship.
 Good network of national and transnational project teams were formed –
commitment, motivation and passion created synergy and good results.
Furthermore, we can talk about accumulated results in Estonia.
 Developing the support structure for women from ‘zero ground’ meant big
success – about 800 women were activated and 100 new enterprises were created
Exchange of information
It was organised in different ways:
 One of the best practices for the project was the PR-specialist who was hired into
the project.
 Regular media communication, sending press-releases, newsletters and
information about events ensured very good visibility for the project.
 Other forms of communication and presentation of the project were promotion
materials, regularly updated website, presentation of entrepreneur of the month
and advisor of the month on international website.
Website address: http://www.feminfo.net