ABCO Georgia

Akhaltsikhe Business Centre (ABC) was established in 1997 with the support of Eurasia Foundation. The goal of organization is to assist local SME’s, farmers and start-up entrepreneurs in successful business development and provide them with informational services.

The ABC provides the following services:

Business plan preparation;
Several kinds of business consultations in small, medium enterprise development and agri-business field;
Marketing researches;
Business training for active and start-up entrepreneurs;
Informational service concerning legislative and other business related issues.

The ABC staff consist of 5 employees. Mr. Gocha Atoshvili is the Director of "ABC Centre". During last two years, ABC "Akhaltsikhe" carried out the following activities:

Within the period of grant awarded by "Eurasia Fund" (1997-1998), "ABC Akhaltsikhe" provided the service to 3756 persons. Business training was held for 250 persons.
Together with the assistance of "ABC Akhaltsikhe" and "Business Support Organization" of Kutaisi, possible prospective of infrastructure development of "Borjomi-Kharagauli Park", were investigated for the German Government.
With the funds of USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and by the order of "Education Development Academy", "ABC - Akhaltsikhe" implemented the project - "Global Training for Development" in the regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Guria. During the project implementation, business-training was held for 348 persons in 5 regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti (Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni, Aspinza, Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda).
"ABC-Akhaltsikhe" actively cooperates with credit line of "IOCC". Approximately 150 credits are issued by the "ABC" recommendation.
With the grant awarded by the "Georgian UN Association", the project - "Investigation of Migration Processes in Samtskhe-Javakheti" has implemented.
With the grant awarded by "Mercy Corps", "ABC-Akhaltsikhe" and the Union "Metsenati" jointly implemented the project "Tanadgoma", which considered to purchase cows for the poor families in 3 Sakrebulos' of Akhaltsikhe region.
In September, 2002 - "ABC - Akhaltsikhe established "Akhalkalaki Business Centre" with the financing of Fund - "Open Society for Georgia";
In 2002-2003, "ABC-Akhaltsikhe" coordinates to "World Food Program" in the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti";
In 2002, micro-credits for IOM credit line were issued by the recommendation of "ABC-Akhaltsikhe";
Within the framework of 2002 project - "Temporary and Permanent Employment of unemployed population", training was held for 54 registered unemployed in "Akhaltsikhe Business Centre". Also, 32 business plans were worked out.
"ABC – Akhaltsikhe" actively cooperates with companies "IOCC", "Konstanta", "Bank of Georgia", "World Vision" and other credit lines.
"ABC-Akhaltsikhe" also actively cooperates with "CARE-Georgia". By order from CARE, tender announcement was prepared for entrepreneurs of Adigeni region, on the basis of which the tender was held. Upon the tender, for selected businessmen were prepared business plans based on their respective business ideas. During the period between October 2003 - January 2003, trainings were conducted in 43 Sakrebulos of Adigeni, Akhaltsikhe and Aspindza regions.
With the order of WWF, 9 business plans were prepared for development of alternative production in the regions of Kharagauli, Adigeni and Akhaltsikhe which, which is to facilitate to creation of new job places.
With the order of WWF, business-consulting center was established in Kharagauli region (2002-2004).
For the purpose of the annual improvement of qualification of the "ABC-Akhaltsikhe" employees and with support from ACDI/VOCA, qualification upgrading training/consultation courses are conducted twice in a year. (2001-2004).

With financial support from "Open Society Georgia Foundation", (October 2003 – October 2004), business centers of Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki are implementing the project of "Small and Medium Business Development in the region of Samtskhe-Javakheti". This project, apart from "Open Society-Georgia Foundation", is as well co-financed by the following participating organizations: WWF, EPPM, ACDI VOCA and UNDP (Akhaltsikhe office). The project provides for conducting of the region’s business environment study, preparation and presentation of business plans for international and local organizations, financing institutions and credit lines.