Astana hosts EXPO&WOMEN Intl Forum
Organized as part of the EXPO-2017 and themed Future Energy: Women, Business and the Global Economy, the Forum discussed ways to support women and women's organizations with a view to sustainable and inclusive development, a healthy environment and the transition to a ‘green' economy.
Within the framework of the Forum, a solemn ceremony of awarding ten winners of the educational program Coca-Cola Bolesteri was held. The program launched by the Coca-Cola company started in Kazakhstan in 2012. And to the date, 9,040 women received access to business skills training courses, including in the use of "green" technologies. A competition for the best business idea under the same name is held annually. The authors of the most original and effective business ideas receive a grant the Coca-Cola Foundation to open a business from.
"Thanks to our partners from the Social Dynamics Public Foundation and the "green" economy Coalition, this project has become so successful that today we give it as an example at an international level. What is most important is that the project gives tangible results, as it helped hundreds of women strengthen their faith in their abilities and contributed to the creation of 105 jobs in the countryside, mainly in agriculture. We are proud to participate in this project and plan to support it in the future," said Alexandra Akkirmman, Coca-Cola's Public Affairs & Communications Manager in Caucasus & Central Asia Region.
Coca-Cola Bolesteri is part of the Coca-Cola 5by20 initiative, within the framework of which the company plans to involve 5 million women around the world in business by 2020 by providing them an opportunity to participate in business training, gain financial knowledge and skills. And if in its first year the program attracted mainly urban women, then today the organizers focus on rural areas, where women want to open their business using "green" technologies. This year trainings were conducted in Akmola, Almaty and Karaganda regions.
In addition, over five years of the program's existence, the organizers have conducted 150 training sessions on the basics of business using "green" technologies for more than 9,000 women.
650 women took part in the competition for the best business idea and 41 of them received grants totaling $166,000.