Programs
GER Initiative
Growing Entrepreneurship Rapidly (GER) Initiative is a USAID and USDA funded program that was implemented by CHF International between August 2002 and September 2008 and later with Development Solutions from October 2008 to March 2009. The program aimed to improve the quality of life for residents in Mongolia's peri-urban areas by supporting local entrepreneurship and facilitating employment opportunities for ger area residents.
The program which operated twelve business and employment centers in the cities of Ulaanbaatar, Choibalsan, Darkhan, Erdenet, and Ulgii as well as the three aimags of Tov, Bulgan, and Selenge was successfully completed in March 2009.
Program Goal:
- To develop and strengthen the economy of the peri-urban areas of Mongolia
Program Objectives:
- An increase in the number of new and strengthened productive Ger Area businesses
- An increase in employment in the Ger Areas
Program Focus:
- To support microenterprises to strengthen and expand their activities
- To support entrepreneurs that are creating new businesses
- To provide unemployed with training and job matching services
- To promote business linkages between the microenterprise clients and large businesses
- To assist microenterprises linking to commercial financial providers
- To improve the quality and accessibility of local business development and support services
Duration
- August 2002 – March 2009
Major Accomplishments
- Created 1,114 new businesses
- Strengthened 4,262 businesses
- Helped form 184 business associations and groups
- Increased sales worth over US $63 million for business clients.
- Facilitated 7,059 loans worth over US $7.5 million
- Facilitated sales of $917,000 for clients through business linkages
- Generated 5,341 jobs
- Matched over 7,143 job opportunities earning US$3.7 million in estimated salaries
Mongolian Agribusiness Support Program
The Mongolian Agribusiness Support Program (MASP) is an agribusiness development project designed and managed by CHF International with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture to promote economic growth through development of Mongolia’s agricultural sector. Development Solutions implements the Business Development component of three main components:
Business Development through the provision of business development services such as training, technical assistance and consulting services to existing and prospective agricultural micro-enterprises, cooperatives, and associations.
Market Development and Expansion to establish links or relationships among suppliers, producers and processors; to improve and expand marketing methods of small and medium businesses engaged in agricultural sector; and to provide training, research, workshops and information to develop and expand the market.
Pork Value Chain Development through facilitated technical assistance to the pork industry and related businesses. The main goal is to improve the productivity and commercial viability of the Mongolian pork industry through facilitating demand-based improvements.
The program was implemented through twelve business development centers of Development Solutions in the cities of Ulaanbaatar, Choibalsan, Darkhan, Erdenet, and Ulgii as well as the three aimags of Tov, Bulgan, and Selenge.
Goal
To enhance market-driven, sustainable agribusiness development in Mongolia
Funding period
April 2009 – September 2011
Major Accomplishments
- Created 939 new businesses
- Strengthened 1,384 businesses
- Helped form 13 business associations and groups
- Increased sales worth over US $68 million for business clients.
- Facilitated 7,059 loans worth over US $7.5 million
- Facilitated sales of $917,000 for clients through business linkages
- Generated 1,438 jobs