TIRANA, March 17, 2006 – Today, the World Bank Office in Tirana announced 11 finalists from Albania for the West Balkans Development Marketplace. The topic of the program is generation of new employment through innovative ideas in the formal sector. Unemployment is one of the major problems faced by the countries in the region. In addition to youth employment, the program also focuses on cross-border cooperation .  130 private firms, business associations, local or international not-for-profit organizations, local and central institutions, and individuals submitted their proposals to the World Bank Office in Tirana. The geographical range of proposals covered all districts in the country up to the most remote areas. The proposals were evaluated in two stages by a local jury comprising of experts of the local and central government, private sector representatives, academia, civil society, donors etc. the main criteria for the evaluation of the proposals included: innovation, realism, sustainability replication potential, focusing on youth, and regional cooperation. Below are the Albania finalists:  1. Collecting, preservation and full processing of cultivated chestnut in the North-East, Dardania ltd., Tropoja. 2. Self-employment for disabled youth, Albanian Association of Disabled Creators (SHKAKSH). 3. Training 60 girls in the city of Puka to saw shoe leather, and guaranteeing their employment, BERTTONI ltd, shoe factory, Shkodra. 4. Cultivation and regeneration of the degraded medical and aromatic herbs, Think about us Organization 5. Information technology in support of employment of youth in rural areas, Institute for Research and Development Alternatives, Tirana. 6. Promotion of Employment in Butrint Park through fostering of traditional artcrafts, Media Saranda,  and Iliria association, Saranda. 7. Employment through tradition, Erseka municipality, and individuals, Erseka. 8. ONLINE network employment. Mjaft foundation, Tirana. 9. Employment and Enabling Atelier, Durrës, International Social Service presence in Albania. 10. Investment in the demand- supply for human resources of SMEs in the road to competition, Center for Economic Education and Business, Tirana. 11. Efficient use of natural resources, a main source of employment and generation of income in the rural area, Agrinas foundation, Erseka.  Ten finalists were selected from the local jury, while one was selected from the team of the World Bank regional offices. The eleven finalists will participate in the regional Development Marketplace to be organized in Belgrade during May 17-18, where together with finalists from other countries of the region will submit their proposals to an international jury that will select the country finalists. |
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