About HERA
HERA provides entrepreneurship training, professional mentoring and grants to women survivors of human trafficking, violence and exploitation. Our programmes actively engage the business community, enabling vulnerable women to achieve economic independence.
To date, HERA has provided entrepreneurship training and professional mentoring to 360 women survivors of human trafficking, violence and exploitation. Through the International Grants Competition, HERA has awarded 132 grants to female-owned small businesses totalling more than £70,000 and creating employment for 500 young women at risk in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
Grant
HERA international grants competition is open to entrepreneurs in Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine. Any woman entrepreneur may apply for funding to support equipment and other capital development costs if she can demonstrate how her work may help in countering human trafficking in their region. Successful applicants also receive on-line mentoring support, technical assistance, and publicity for their ventures on the HERA website. Grants are awarded in the following three categories:
- Young female entrepreneurs (under 30 years of age) who have been trafficked and have organised their own ventures;
- Young female entrepreneurs who have established a micro or small enterprise and are willing to employ and/or train young women at risk for trafficking; and
- Young women who want to develop an innovative idea to stop and/or counter trafficking in their own country
Contact
If you have any questions please get in touch at hera.grants@gmail.com.
How to Apply
To apply you must go to the official website of HERA, complete the online application form and submit it.
Past Recipients
HERA has funded a variety of projects through its International Grants Program.
Armenia
- Handicraft cooperatives
- Tailoring
- Hosiery/sock factory
- Medical clinic
- Hairdressing salon
- Bakeries/catering
- Dry fruit production
- Wool products
Georgia
- Tea shops
- Bakery
- Dairy cooperatives
- Sewing cooperatives
- Cleaning business
- Arts and crafts
- Pottery
- English Language School
Moldova
- Massage/beauty services
- Physiotherapy Clinic
- Nursery Schools/Kindergarten
- Restaurant
- Construction
- Jewelry
- Tailoring and Uniforms
- Fashion Design
- Baby Clothes factory
- Baby carriers
- Cleaning Business
- Sheep rearing and woolen production
- Furniture production
- Strawberry production
- Florist shop
- Tomato production
- Counter trafficking NGOs
Romania
- Lavendar production
- Leather production
- Pig farm
- Café/NGO
Ukraine
- Fashion Atelier
- Baby Clothes production
- Sewing and Tailoring Repairs
- American cookies and bakery
- Traditional bakery
- Nails Training Centre
- Beauty studio and training centre
- Montessori Schools
- Sewing Training School
- Reproductive Health Care