DUSHANBE, July 7, 2015, Asia-Plus -- Three staff members from the National Association of Business Women from Tajikistan (NABWT) travelled to Latvia for a know-how exchange.

According to the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, the main goal of the study trip was to learn about the set-up and operations of Latvian Business Incubators and Women Business Mentoring Programs.

The host organization, the Latvian Business Women Association, reportedly facilitated visits to the most successful and biggest Business Incubators in Riga and meetings with the Latvian Investment and Development Agency.

The gained know-how and experiences will help NABWT to improve existing and conceptualize new services which shall increase relevance, impact and efficiency of the Business Incubator in Khujand.  Public support structures for Business Incubators in Latvia shall be discussed as role models and good practices during public private dialogue with public authorities in Sughd province.

The Latvian Business Women Association and NABWT also discussed the possibilities of Mentoring Programs between successful and start-up business women.  On the basis of the discussions NABWT will set-up an own business mentoring program.  The program shall enable young business women to draw on the know-how and experiences of successful women in Tajikistan through a close partnership.

The study tour is part of the project “Tajik Women Economic Empowerment (TWEET)”, funded by the European Union under the Central Asia Invest Program.  The project aims at improving the business climate for the establishment and operation of MSME run by women in Tajikistan.