Women entrepreneurs in Aktau benefit from theRural Microfinance Initiative
Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA) has established operations in Aktau, a small port city on the Caspian Sea. Due to its relative remoteness, Aktau is often overlooked for international aid.
Aktau faces 30 percent unemployment, large numbers of labor migrants and a general lack of skilled professionals; EFCA partnered with locally based NGO Zhastar Zhetistekteri to implement programs confronting these issues. One program will support a microfinance institution providing financial resources to underserved rural areas and women entrepreneurs. EFCA will also help launch a labor resource center to provide labor migrants from Uzbekistan with employment counseling, legal and safety information. EFCA’s work in Aktau is in its early stages, but EFCA hopes to launch a full-scale regional community development program forming partnerships with government and corporate partners in the near future.
