Project Duration: November 2024 – November 2027

Number of Beneficiaries: 1545 direct beneficiaries and 6180 indirect beneficiaries

Location:

  • Nationwide: Business support (implementing by Iris Business Incubator and Impact Hub Armenia
  • Ararat, Gegharkunik & Yerevan (incl. surrounding areas): NEXUS activities (housing, employment, socialization)(implementing by Armenian Caritas)

Goal: To enhance social cohesion and economic integration of

refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh and host communities

through sustainable solutions in employment,

entrepreneurship, housing, and social inclusion.

 

Description: Objectives:

1.Quality of life of refugees and host communities is enhanced;

  1. Refugees and host community members are more

engaged in entrepreneurship

Target Groups:

  • Displaced population from NK and local vulnerable communities;
  • Job seekers, early/advanced self-employed individuals, startups, SMEs
  • Refugees involved in creative sectors

 

Expected Results.

Nexus Activities:

  • 100 individuals receive full cycle employment support
  • 100 individuals in agri field benefit from tailored livelihood support
  • 120 households receive housing support (renovations or rental subsidies)
  • 10 socialization events held for 100 participants to boost integration

Business Support Activities

  • 380 young entrepreneurs engaged in regional & national ldeathons
  • 320 self-employed/startups supported in business model development, 200 in Business Academy
  • 100 self-employed individuals and early startups receive seed grants
  • 30 entrepreneurs in pre-acceleration, 8 in acceleration
  • programs
  • 25 businesses receive growth-oriented funding
  • 2 creative centers developed as sustainable social enterprises
  • 3 networking events for 360 displaced and local creatives

Advocacy & Systems Strengthening:

  • Enhanced capacity of state agencies to support integration through demand-based initiatives
  • Establishment and operation of the “Armenian NGO Forum on Social Integration as an efficient Platform for coordination and joint advocacy

 

Partners: IRIS Business Incubator Foundation,  Impact Hub Armenia Social  Innovation Development Foundation

Budget: EU Contribution: €3,000,000

Project manager: Vergine Gasparyan

Team Lead: Lusine Stepanyan