RECOVERY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT: ECONOMIC RESILIENCE FOR WAR-AFFECTED BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES

Ukraine Economic Resilience Programme supports the recovery of business activity and helps mitigate the consequences of the war for affected people, drawing on strong field presence and a systems-based approach to recovery. Within the Programme, Helvetas helps residents of Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava regions restore economic stability and reduce dependence on external assistance. The Programme supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), subsistence farmers (producing for household needs), small and medium agricultural enterprises, vocational education and training institutions, as well as the Diia.Business platform.

The Ukraine Economic Resilience Programme (ERP) is implemented by the ERP consortium consisting of Mercy Corps, Right to Protection, Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, and JERU (Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine of Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide), with the support of Switzerland through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Supporting Business Start-Up and Recovery

Helvetas provides grants to entrepreneurs and self-employed people to start, restart, or expand their businesses. This support covers diverse business types that contribute to economic recovery in war-affected regions.

With a dedicated presence in Kharkiv, Helvetas coordinates the Kharkiv Resilience Hub, where entrepreneurs and local residents can access advisory support, learning opportunities, and practical tools to develop their businesses and strengthen economic resilience.

Developing Vocational Education to Prepare a Skilled Workforce

Since 2023, Helvetas together with the State Employment Service of Ukraine and the Federation of Employers of Ukraine has been conducting a national labour-market study. This gives Helvetas a clear picture of Ukraine’s economic situation, current and emerging staffing needs, and access to analytics on employer-provided training. Based on these findings, Helvetas supports short-term, practice-oriented training for adults in occupations that are genuinely in demand. As a result, graduates can find jobs faster or start their own businesses. Particular attention is given to inclusive employment, so that people from vulnerable groups can achieve economic self-reliance.

Under the Ukraine Economic Resilience Programme (ERP), 7 VET institutions in the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Poltava regions will receive modern equipment to update curricula and strengthen hands-on training, so they can prepare the qualified workers local economies need.