Focus on social entrepreneurship: journalists, bloggers and vloggers win awards in EU4Youth competition

Nine stories of social entrepreneurship have received awards in the ‘Social entrepreneurship – cooperation beyond borders’ competition, organised by the EU-funded EUnlocking project, aimed at journalists, bloggers and vloggers from Moldova and Ukraine.

The nine were chosen from almost 80 entries, and reveived their awards at a (hybrid) ceremony organised in Kiyv on 26 January. The competition aimed to raise awareness on the issue of social entrepreneurship.

The best entries received awards across three categories – video, audio and written press.

VIDEO

Prize 1: Iulia Vrabie (Moldova) (Nepotu Irina’s story, employed at the social company Floare de Cires)

Prize 2: Lilia Andrusik (Ukraine) (Social mission – caring for others)

Prize 3: Maria Ivanova (Ukraine) (Oksana Stakhnevich, a Charity shop in the Zaporizhzhia region) and Apostu Eugenia (Moldova) (Hancu family got a taste for social entrepreneurship during an international training )

AUDIO

Prize 1: Iulia Vrabie (Moldova). Podcast with Sergiu Gurău on social entrepreneurship and a chance for normality for vulnerable people

Prize 2: Ivan Lyla (Ukraine) How young social entrepreneurs develop business in an environmental direction. Education of future social entrepreneurs and opportunities for all-Ukrainian and foreign cooperation.

WRITTEN PRESS

Prize 1: Ionel Mariana (Moldova). Angela Achiței: people, environment, community, focus on young people and disadvantaged people – values promoted also at regional level 

Prize 1: Victoria Kolomiets (Ukraine) “These are not homeless; these are people.” The story of Lviv’s ‘Oselya’, which helps homeless people feel needed and start a new life

Prize 2: Galina Khalymonyk (Ukraine) Social enterprise: Libental Farm helps teenagers with difficult destinies find their way home

Participating Ukrianian journalist Maria Ivanovasaid “the competition was very useful for me personally. Social entrepreneurship is a trend abroad, but in Ukraine this trend is just beginning… But now, thanks to the EUnlocking project, its competition and journalists, I hope things will change and more people will learn about social entrepreneurs and their businesses will develop in favourable conditions.”

The  EUnlocking project (EU4Youth: Unlocking the potential of young social entrepreneurs in Moldova and Ukraine) helps to foster the social entrepreneurial potential of young people in Moldova and Ukraine by establishing a favourable ecosystem for social enterprises.