Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation visits “Shen” NGO
On February 28, German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation Project Manager Dr. Michael Beck and Regional Coordinator Anja Hoyer visited Aghnjadzor village of Vayots Dzor Marz to study the activities of "Vardenyants Kat" cooperative, which is a beneficiary of "Shen" NGO.
The cooperative is engaged in the production of matzoon (Armenian yogurt), tahn (Armenian yogurt drink), cheese, and other types of dairy products. The guests had the opportunity to taste the products made by the cooperative and highly appreciated the quality.
It is worth mentioning that although the volumes of the "Vardenyants Kat" cooperative are smaller than the local producers, in terms of product quality, they have not only fully resisted the competition over the years of their activity. Still, they have also been able to register an increase in volumes. The representatives of the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation were impressed by the cooperative's work and the quality of the products.
On March 02, following the visit to Aghnjadzor, Dr. Michael Beck and Anja Hoer, together with Eric Böttcher, the Country Representative, and Lilit Avetisyan, the Financial Expert, visited the head office of "Shen" NGO. The primary purpose of the visit was to discuss the project ideas that Shen NGO could propose, and the two organizations could find a mutual connection in implementation.
At the end of 2022, we successfully finished the project "Promotion of rural finance and entrepreneurship in the South Caucasus and Ukraine for sustainable development of SMEs" implemented in the frame of the MoU with the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK). The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) financed the project. In the scope of the project, 114 students and farmers from Gegharkunik, Lori, Tavush, Shirak, and Syunik marzes of Armenia underwent training on such topics as "Micro-entrepreneurial exercise," "Managing Climate Change," "Farmers Business Game."
We are looking forward to new prospects with the German Sparkassenstiftung for International Cooperation (DSIK), hoping for the implementation of new projects that will contribute to the development of rural communities in Armenia.
