THE OX - EYE DAISY IS NOT FOR 

      THE FORTUNE - TELLING

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.

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