 The National Insurance Institute's Division of Service Development Funds- Fund for Demonstration Projects has been a major partner and generous contributor to EEW since its establishment. This support opened doors to new local and regional partners that would not have been possible otherwise. Thanks to the NII's Division of Service Development Funds, EEW has been transformed from a small group of women committed to social and economic change to a leading organization in the field of economic development for women. During 2003-2008, the Fund for Demonstration Projects provided funding for 22 Business of One's Own programs that served over 500 welfare supported women, who sought an alternative to poverty through self-employment. Two hundred and ten of these women did in fact succeed in establishing their own business. The NII also funded and initiated a three year study on the Business of One's Own program that in addition to evaluating the effectiveness of this particular program also studied the general strategy of self-employment as a means for poverty alleviation. This study was published in 2008 and a summary of the results is available at this link.
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Since 2007, the NII shifted its support to EEW's Pilot Business Development Service programs, making possible the establishment of EEW's first Business Incubator in Haifa. An evaluative study of this program will soon be published. As a result of the success of the Business Incubator, the NII has recently decided to continue its support as a partner in three (out of five) new Business Incubators that have been established by EEW.
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| EEW is proud of this long-term partnership with the NII Division of Service Development Funds which has not only been characterized by significant and generous financial support but has also been a source of professional knowledge and mentoring over the years. |
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