The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided internally displaced persons (IDPs) and other vulnerable categories of the population with UAH 19 million in micro-grant support under the Reboot program.

"The Ukrainian Red Cross Society has been implementing the Reboot: Expanding Employment Opportunities program since 2024, one of the important areas of which was supporting micro-entrepreneurship initiatives among vulnerable groups of the population. Last year, hundreds of residents of Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Cherkasy and Ternopil regions applied for participation in the program. Some 184 participants went through all stages, backed their business ideas and received micro-grants of UAH 100,000 each, which helped them restore or develop their own business," the Ukrainian Red Cross Society reported on Facebook on Tuesday.

According to the General Director of the Ukrainian Red Cross, Maksym Dotsenko, this year the program will provide support to individual initiatives in the field of micro-entrepreneurship, helping vulnerable groups of the population to start or restore their own business.

"Support includes micro-grants, development of business skills, as well as access to business networks and labor markets," Dotsenko specified.

A construction company, a travel agency, a beauty salon, a coffee shop, a production of natural sweets and even a honey farm are just a few examples of activities that the winners of the micro-grant support competition are now developing.

Another round of micro-grants is planned for this year. Applications for participation will be evaluated according to certain criteria. Registered internally displaced persons who have the opportunity to carry out economic activities within the community can become participants in the program. Local residents who have suffered from the war, including veterans, their families and people who have lost their jobs or businesses, can also participate in the program. The program can be attended by able-bodied people aged 18 to 65 from among vulnerable categories of the population.

The Reboot program is supported by international partners, including the Spanish Red Cross, the Danish Red Cross, and the Swiss Red Cross.