Dear partners and friends,
The year 2022 summarizes a period with many activities and events in order to strengthen the ties between the diaspora and the mother countries. We at GERMIN are pleased that, with your help, we were able to manage 14 projects in total. From engaging professionals and mentors from the diaspora, connecting businesses and attracting investments, to connecting second and third-generation youth with their roots, this newsletter summarises the central moments of 2022.
50 young people were engaged in practical work in diaspora companies
50 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 were engaged in 21 diaspora companies from February to May 2022. 18 of them (36%) were employed on a work contract or continued the internship for a longer period. This was made possible thanks to the support of UNICEF Kosovo, within the project “Advancement of Partnership with the Diaspora for Children and Youth in Kosovo”.
Diaspora professionals mentor 40 Kosovo women entrepreneurs
From the period April – October 2022, 20 women entrepreneurs from Kosovo were mentored in different areas of doing business by 10 diaspora mentors within the project “Diaspora for Women Entrepreneurs”.
Within the project “Diaspora for Women Entrepreneurs,” 20 female entrepreneurs from Kosovo were mentored in various aspects of business by 10 diaspora mentors from April to October 2022. They also had the opportunity to develop digital skills through participation in a virtual fair during the month of July. Meanwhile, 10 of them allowed you to attend B2B meetings in Zurich, where Germin organized 76 meetings. 20 of them have already resulted in the launch of partnerships for the export of products and services from Kosovo.
12 professionals from the diaspora were engaged in public institutions and non-governmental organizations in Kosovo
Through our projects last year we have engaged 12 diaspora professionals in public institutions (local and central) and non-governmental organizations in Kosovo. 3 of them were engaged in the framework of Citizen Engagement Activity, implemented by the Kosovo Foundation for Civil Society (KCSF) in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Kosovo. GERMIN is a partner of KCSF in the implementation of this activity.
The Diaspora Business Forum brings together over 400 participants in Pristina
In May, GERMIN was part of the organization of the Diaspora Business Forum, an organization a joint part of the European Branch of the Albanian Diaspora Business Network and the USAID Kosovo Compete Activity. This event gathered over 400 participants, from 150 businesses from the diaspora, 100 local businesses and dozens of businesses involved in Kosovo. Part of the event was also Prime minister Mr Albin Kurti, representatives of economic chambers and non-governmental organizations. On the second day of the forum, local manufacturing companies were visited in different cities of the country.
The OriginAL program is launched: A journey to discover the roots
In May, the program was launched in Tirana. OriginAL aims to strengthen the ties between the new generations in the diaspora with their countries of origin through a two-week educational-cultural trip to the most important places in Albania and Kosovo. The first edition of OriginAL took place from August 10 to 22, with 40 young people, born or raised in the diaspora. The participants for two weeks visited 45 different localities. The GERMIN team has produced a 38-minute documentary that summarizes the key moments of the program’s pioneers. The second edition aims to double the number of participants to massify this program in the future.
Diaspora Business Fair, Vienna, Austria
GERMIN has supported 15 businesses from Kosovo from the wood, IT and construction sectors to be promoted at the Albanian Business Fair in Vienna, organized by the Diaspora Business Network in Austria. Within the project “Municipal Action for Reintegration and Diaspora – MARDI project” which is supported by Caritas Switzerland, the participation of the Investment and Enterprise Support Agency (KIESA) was also supported in this fair.
The Platform for the Engagement of Professionals from the Diaspora is launched
In December last year, GERMIN launched the test version of the digital platform of the Program for the Engagement of Professionals from the Diaspora. The platform aims to facilitate the engagement of professionals from the diaspora in their countries of origin, to transfer knowledge and skills to public institutions, civil society organizations and local businesses, making the automatic connection between them. The platform was supported by Citizen Engagement Activity, implemented by KCSF in partnership with the USAID in Kosovo, Caritas Switzerland, USAID Kosovo Compete and UNDP.
Diaspora in support of the green agenda in Kosovo
In November, GERMIN also organized the roundtable on “Energy, Environment and Diaspora of Kosovo”. This roundtable was a continuation of meetings with professionals from the diaspora in the aforementioned fields, part of an initiative for their identification and engagement mediation in Kosovo, supported by UNDP Kosovo. The summary and recommendations from discussions have been forwarded to the relevant institutions. Meanwhile, over 80 professionals from the diaspora have been identified in the energy and environment sectors.