The feminine business activity is an indispensable
component of the democratic society with a developed market economy. In
Russia today, only its foundation is being laid down and a very complicated
process, involved in the emergence of small businesses, is under way. The
process begins with a shift from the parasitical psychology of "Provide
for me" or a passive stand of "Give me a job" to the creative
position of "Give me an opportunity and I'll provide the jobs and
earnings both for myself and for others". In spite of the historical
traditions and the social logic, a lot of women in Russia have gone over
to this stand today-up to 43 per cent (more than men!). But only three
per cent have actually managed to set going their own businesses. Well,
what is it that hinders the rest?
First, the absence of an initial capital. Our banks gladly invest billions
into the castles in the air, supply money to all kind of swindlers and
throw it to the feet of foreign pop stars... But to allocate a few million
to industrious women-oh no, not for anything in their life! All over the
world the woman has long been recognized as a reliable business partner
because of her inborn sense of responsibility and caution. And it is also
commonly known that business women repay the credits like nobody else-up
to 95 per cent! Another essential minus for Russian business women is their
lack of the business education, if only of a primary kind. And the third
difficulty concerns their relationships with the state. In addition to
high taxes, heaps of papers have to be filled in, lots of instances visited
and endless re-registrations passed. This devours an incredible amount
of strength and of money, and the notorious state support to the limited
and the medium-scale businesses is just so much idle talk. And finally-the
isolation, an absence of links with "their own kind", a shortage
of partners and a sense of loneliness.
The goal in setting up the "Romashka" ("Ox-eye
daisy") Fund for Support to Women's Business Activity is precisely
to render assistance to women in overcoming these obstacles. The Fund was
created by women, who have achieved success in their own fields: O. Romashko
puts out cosmetics, made to her own recipes, E. Kulikova is a publisher
and a banker, and L. Otrashkevich is a builder. Long before its official
registration, the founders of the "Romashka" came into contact
with the Women's World Banking network, which has a 60-year experience
to its credit in 50 countries around the world; at first, they were just
seeking information and advice from it, and later they became its full
member.
The WWB network, mostly operating in the Third World countries, prevailed
by poverty and illiteracy, is up to now the only one of its kind, involved
in the development of the business activity and of a crediting system for
women of insufficient means or just poor. This concerns precisely the limited
businesses, with the initial credit sometimes amounting to only 200 dollars.
As a result of the constant, painstaking and thoroughly thought-over WWB's
activity, many of its branches have by now turned into powerful financial
institutions. They hand out loans and act as mediators and set up capitals
for granting the credit lines, both on their own and with the participation
of the local banks. The WWB branches have won themselves a fine reputation
as reliable non-profit financial institutions, which help establish legal
and organizational alliances with the banks. Their financial activity makes
it possible for them to derive profits from their investments and to cover
their major operational and strategical outlays. Thus, the WWB branch in
India now disposes of 50 million dollars, and that in Brazil-of 10 million
dollars. The efficient activity, the growing competence and experience
and the financial support from the partners will enable the WWB by the
year 2000 to mobilize one billion dollars for women's needs in the limited
business.
The WWB pays considerable attention to women's education, which it
provides on different levels, from the primary for the beginners in business
to a "higher" for the branches' managers. There is a constant
exchange between the branches and the "bank of talents"; the
text-books, videos and a newsreel are issued and regular regional conferences
are held. The WWB network establishes commercial relations between the
business women. Its programs embrace different regions, which enables the
limited women's businesses to achieve success both on the local and on
the world markets. The WWB branches are winning over ever more important
positions in the economics and in the politics of their own countries,
as well as in the international organizations, such as the UN and the EC.
Our Fund generally relies in its work on the same pattern: it renders
the credit services, the training and assistance in making contacts. The
credit programs are implemented jointly with the FundServiceBank, which
has already granted credits to the first eight business women. A few other
business-plans are presently under consideration. We are planning to conduct
the training in the "Guild" Center for the Development of Limited
Businesses, which has firmly proved itself over the few recent years. We
are also establishing relations with other women's organizations, both
domestic and international ones. We have held the first few round tables;
the attending women filled in the questionnaires, which will enable us
better to identify their needs. Strange as it would seem, the primary problem
for the majority of the participants consists in finding partners. This
has prompted us to create a data base and to launch an information exchange.
The Fund's idea has met with a wide response in Russia's cities and regions.
Over six months, our branches have cropped up in Ufa, Yakutsk, Tver and
Cherkessk. Today the founders' main concern is to find money for the Fund
and to set up women's business representations in the Federal and in the
Moscow City departments for the medium-size and the limited businesses.
Everybody is welcome to cooperate with us! We call on those, who have
achieved financial success, to help others get their footing as well, and
thus to facilitate stabilization in this country. To those, who have ideas
and plans but no courage to implement them on their own, we shall help
to find partners. And we shall teach and render support to those, who have
the desire and the courage, but no knowledge and no means to start up and
to develop their own business. You may contact us at the address: Room
2383, Directorate of the Roofed Stadium, 16 Olympiisky Prospekt, Moscow.
Telephone/fax: (095)288-96-33.