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Economic Recovery and Employment Opportunities (EREO)

In war-affected hromadas, local businesses have to navigate a challenging and unpredictable economic environment with limited support from the local government. These challenges become even more acute for hromadas that are located within 30 kilometres of the frontline.

Strengthening Local Economies as a Foundation for Recovery

The EREO Strategic Project strengthens the systems that keep economic life functioning. By helping communities retain jobs, keep essential businesses operating, and maintain the skill base needed for local recovery. EREO aims to ensure that the local economy can serve as a foundation that larger, longer term recovery initiatives can utilise.

The project prioritises working with national institutions, oblast governments, hromada administrations, vocational schools, training centres, business support organisations, and local micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

Delivering Targeted Support with a Catalytic Stabilising Effect

EREO’s niche lies in delivering integrated support directly to war-affected hromadas and economic actors: strengthening vocational institutions, engaging employers, stabilising key local businesses, and linking local evidence to national policy processes. This is where broader national and donor efforts are complemented most effectively, and where targeted assistance can have a catalytic and stabilising effect.

HOW EREO DELIVERS IMPACT

EREO delivers impact by creating a resilient, business-enabling environment that helps local governments and enterprises stabilise operations and retain jobs in war-affected hromadas. It strengthens workforce development through modernising vocational schools, expanding training centres, and implementing re-skilling programmes to bridge gaps between employer needs and labour supply. The project also sustains business continuity for MSMEs by providing equipment, technical assistance, and targeted training, allowing essential businesses to operate.

By working through the three workstreams listed below, PFRU is able to help hromadas navigate war-related shocks and build long-term economic resilience for vulnerable communities.

Building a Resilient and Business-Enabling Environment

EREO supports relevant job retraining opportunities that help residents acquire the skills local employers need. This reduces the skills mismatch in local labour markets and increases employment prospects for residents.

Workstream B strengthens vocational schools and training centres by improving their engagement with local employers and providing modern equipment. This ensures that businesses have access to a stable and qualified workforce, helping to reduce out-migration from PFRU oblasts.

Supporting Local Workforce Development

EREO supports relevant job retraining opportunities that help residents acquire the skills local employers need. Workstream B strengthens vocational schools and training centres by improving their engagement with local employers and providing modern equipment. This reduces the skills mismatch in local labour markets, increases employment prospects for residents, and ensures that businesses have access to a stable and qualified workforce, helping to reduce out-migration from PFRU oblasts.

Sustaining Business Continuity for Local MSMEs

Given the challenging wartime environment, EREO assists MSMEs that are essential to having a functional and thriving community. Through cooperating with business support organisations and providing targeted business training services, this workstream helps companies sustain operations, protect jobs and stay connected to local economic networks.

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