The projects financed by the Interreg NEXT Poland – Ukraine 2021-2027 Programme have already started their implementation, and we eagerly await their upcoming results.

However, we do not forget about the results and benefits brought by projects from the 2014-2020 Programme edition. We continue to show their achievements and hope that stories of people behind them or benefitting on them will be inspiring for forthcoming initiatives in the whole Programme area.

We invite you to read!

 I did not plan to come to Poland. But when the war started, and the daily alerts began, I left Lviv – says Lesia.

She arrived in Rzeszów with her son in April 2022, part of the first wave of millions of refugees fleeing Ukraine due to Russian aggression. She is afraid to return; she does not feel safe in her home country:

When it is calm, you can return for 2–3 days.

However, she wanted to ensure her son's safety, therefore she decided to stay in Poland, at least for a while. Many forms of assistance have been offered to refugees, but it is not easy to find work in her profession: 

I am a clothing designer. In Ukraine, I had my own business. Ukrainians prefer clothes that are individually designed or decorated, but in Poland, large clothing chains dominate, and there is no such demand for that type of work.

She sent out numerous CVs without success. However, she did not want to sit back and wait. She found an advertisement from the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency (RARR), which was starting a series of workshops on how to run a business.

We have had signals that many people want to use such support. They are enterprising, have lots of ideas and are planning to establish or move their businesses to Poland – says Joanna Wojciechowska-Szoska from the International Projects Department of RARR.

One of the agency's goals is to stimulate entrepreneurship, which is why the agency created a project that provided refugees with a 'fishing pole' instead of simply giving them 'fish', offering them the opportunity to stay on the Polish labour market rather than relying on allowance. The project was entitled 'Podkarpackie Incubator for supporting Ukrainian initiatives' (acronym Podkarpackie_Incubator4UA). It was chosen as one of the direct award projects financed by the Programme to support the social and entrepreneurial activity of refugees who were leaving territories affected by Russian aggression. The circumstances in which the project evolved were significant, which is also why it was implemented without a partner.

Why call it an Incubator? Because it aims to foster business activity, innovation and promotion in a friendly and comfortable environment. The project created an 'open space' in the RARR office in the centre of Rzeszów, equipped with essential tools for starting a business: laptops, printers, software, videoconferencing devices and internet access, all available for free. There is even a children's play area and a kitchenette. In addition, refugees received free legal, language and psychological support, along with workshops on starting and managing a business, social activities, tax regulations, marketing, study visits, and an e-guide in Polish and Ukrainian languages that offers an educational and promotional toolkit on economic and social activity in Poland.

 I learned how to open a business since it is different here in Poland than in Ukraine. I want everything to be done correctly so I don’t run into problems with accounting or taxes – says Lesia.

The authors of the project hope that the Podkarpackie_Inkubator4UA project will create a sustainable and comprehensive solution to support resourceful and entrepreneurial visitors from Ukraine. They believe it will become a permanent part of a system that supports entrepreneurship, the labour market, innovation, and NGOs in the Podkarpackie region. To assist its neighbours during these difficult times and strengthen future relations, the Rzeszów Regional Development Agency also purchased equipment and supplies — such as generators, electric heaters, motor pumps, defibrillators, medical backpacks, and thermal clothing — worth over 1.2 million PLN. These items went to hospitals, schools, and cultural institutions in the Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk oblasts. Meanwhile, Lesia contemplates her plans:

I have a lot of ideas, but I know that I need to start small – selling and buying. I would like to open an online shop selling branded shoes, followed by designer glasses and handbags.

Joanna concludes: We see that Ukrainians want to act; and do something for themselves and others.

More information about the project can be found on the project's website, here.