Building sustainable communities in Moldova: The growing impact of the FEMEIE project

During this year’s International Women’s Month, the community of women entrepreneurs in Moldova gathered to mark the successful completion of the Female Entrepreneurship in Moldova – Emergency Initiative for Economic Empowerment (FEMEIE) program. The discussion set out to answer how small businesses in Moldova can contribute significantly to the country’s economic recovery and well-being. 

The discussion touched on leading a business in times of crisis and uncertainty, building meaningful collaborations through community, and breaking down hurdles when it comes to gender equity in entrepreneurship. To get the most out of the discussion, different perspectives were brought in by industry experts and stakeholders in the Moldovan ecosystem: policy-making, digitalization, leadership, support network, and investment readiness. Graduates of the FEMEIE program took to the stage to offer opportunities to the community; from support networks for women entrepreneurs, to programs for entrepreneurs to gain expertise and grow their businesses.

Seeing the enthusiasm and motivation of the event attendees to share their experience and support each other was the highlight of the FEMEIE program, and the basis through which the program can continue to make a difference beyond its conclusion. 

FEMEIE community members networking during the program’s closing event. Copyright © enpact 2023.

Beyond the program 

When an incubator, accelerator or support program ends, there is often the question of what happens next. 

Over a period six months in 2023, the FEMEIE program provided immediate relief for 75 entrepreneurs. The support included: over 220,000 Euros paid out in financial support, hands-on training, nearly 500 hours in mentoring, and access to work facilities. Using this support, participants created 65 new job positions by the end of the program, gained 55 new international business contacts, and showed recovery in profit trends by 14% in comparison to the beginning of the program. 

Beyond the numbers and the immediate support, people connected in trainings, discussions and meetups, and a strong community started to grow. By the end of the program, the networking events and community activities had engaged over 1,100 attendees from the Moldovan ecosystem. They shared resources, ideas and, at the core of it, found reassurance in the fact that they were not alone in the challenges they faced. 

FEMEIE participants during one of the programs’ community sessions. Copyright © enpact 2023.

To keep the network active and continue building on the foundation established by the program, enpact and the Women Business Association of Moldova (AFAM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commit to long-term collaboration across different areas. This collaboration ensures the program’s lasting impact and continued support for women entrepreneurs in Moldova beyond the duration of the program, which officially concluded in April 2024.

enpact has donated the entire technical inventory of the FEMEIE support center in central Chisinau to AFAM. This significant contribution equips AFAM with the resources needed to continue empowering women entrepreneurs in Moldova. This donation was made possible with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

AFAM will also foster the community established through FEMEIE, and guide the community members with further opportunities for mentoring, training, and scaling through their network and in coordination with local partners. 

AFAM, a well-established organization with over 70 members across various industries, aligns perfectly with enpact’s mission of pushing forward equity through supporting women in entrepreneurship. The AFAM network has also been actively involved in the FEMEIE program and providing support since day one. 

Carolina Bugaian, president of AFAM, supported two women entrepreneurs to maintain their operations, adapt their business models and grow their impact. Ludmila Furtuna is the founder of Multimedica media center. First built in 2020, the center provides holistic support for acute and chronic pain patients. Through working with Carolina, Ludmila improved her business operations, directly leading to increased income. 

Svetlana Pînzaru is the co-founder of Ortolife, a private prosthetic laboratory center in Moldova that offers persons with physical impairments innovative products tailored to their needs. 

Carolina Bugaian (Left) with her FEMEIE program mentees Ludmila (Middle) and Svetlana (Right). Copyright © enpact 2023.

“My experience with Carolina was extraordinary and transformative. Our sessions were always structured and goal-oriented. She was a source of knowledge and inspiration, sharing insights and practical advice. She also shared important insights about work-life balance, perseverance and approaching problems with a positive mindset. She impressed me with her empathy and ability to listen. Thanks to her mentorship, I developed a new marketing strategy that reached a significant number of new clients. She also helped me increase our operational efficiency.” – Svetlana Pînzaru.

By working with AFAM, program participants and local partners, we will continue to curate opportunities for women entrepreneurs in Moldova. We’re grateful for the chance to build these lifelong connections, and we invite you to get involved!

If you’d like to know more about our upcoming activities in Moldova, or if you would like to partner with us, reach out to us on info@enpact.org with the subject line “enpact in Moldova!” and our team will get back to you. 

About the FEMEIE program 

FEMEIE, implemented with the support of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), supported 75 women entrepreneurs from Moldova and Ukraine in counteracting the social and economic repercussions caused by the Russian war of aggression.


Salma Nassar

Senior Communications Manager

Salma is the Communications Manager at enpact. She is a writer, podcaster and storyteller, with published articles on business, economics, entrepreneurship, lifestyle and mental health awareness. 


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