Social cooperatives within SOCMED Program

Written on 19 April 2012.

PRESS RELEASE

Zurich, March 27, 2012

Women's cooperatives in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are founded to prevent social decline and overcome health problems.

With rabbit breeding, beekeeping, organic humus production and sewing workshops to independence

Women's cooperatives were established by International SOCMED Program to protect people who live in the contaminated areas from further deterioration of their health and social disintegration. Women's cooperatives and micro-credits enables women to find a way out of the vicious circle of poverty, unemployment and hopelessness, while having some source of income, they can improve the living conditions of their families. All members of women's cooperatives attended training courses about reduction of radioactive contamination in the cultivation and preparation of food. Small doses of radiation which with the contaminated food daily affect the body of people living in these areas, interfere with their health and influence on the sales of agricultural products.

In the last two years there appeared a possibility to establish 20 women's cooperatives and allocate grants in Belarus, and Russia. Besides the development of the existing small farms, organic farming, the construction of new cattle, pig, rabbit, small beekeeping farms and fisheries, several women were also involved in the project of consumer goods manufacturing, where they sew clothes for private clients and  industry enterprises in small sewing workshops.

Especially the rabbits breeding in Ukraine should be emphasized. At first, three families who had few rabbits were involved into the project on rabbit breeding. After the first kindle appeared they shared little rabbits with other families to give them a chance to participate in the project and thus, give them a possibility to earn money through the sale of fur and flesh. Thus, for a short time the project began to develop successfully.

In Russia, bee farms, as well as the production of vermicompost and sewing workshops were created, and in Belarus micro-project aims at breeding cattle, pigs, as well as apiary.

To receive micro-credit one has to take a course of distance learning, which consists of four modules. The curriculum includes country-specific legal and financial issues, including the calculation, accounting, taxes, etc., that women studied together with qualified specialists. Then the participants presented their self-developed business plans and procedures for the establishment and development of social cooperatives and micro-projects. After the presentation of their business plans and successful completion of training, project participants were ready to receive micro-credits. In most cases, all the presentations met expectations of the project management and after discussion with the project managers business plans and procedures as well as the final adjustments were ready to be implemented.

About five million people suffer from radioactive contamination. One should emphases that constant low doses of irradiation of food daily affect the body. Green Cross Switzerland, the International Programme of social and medical assistance as well as the disarmament program facilitates overcoming consequential damages caused by industrial and military disasters, as well as the consequences of the Cold War. Central issues are the improvement of the living quality of people affected by chemical, radioactive and other types of contamination, as well as the promotion of a sustainable development in the spirit of cooperation instead of confrontation.