Entrepreneurs’ Day: “RISE: Small Business Resilience” Communication Campaign Launches

Amid the full-scale war and daily challenges, Ukrainian business remains one of the key pillars of the economy. Entrepreneurs continue to work, create jobs, pay taxes, support their communities and find new opportunities for growth.

We thank every entrepreneur for their resilience, courage and perseverance — for their ability to adapt to new conditions, restore production, open new ventures and develop the Ukrainian economy even in the most difficult times.

It’s important to note that the Government continues to develop opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), in particular through access to concessional lending and state guarantees.

Since February 2022, under the portfolio-based state guarantee program, businesses have received more than 53,000 loans totaling UAH 201 billion.

The State Program “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” remains a powerful support tool: during martial law, MSMEs have received around UAH 490 billion across 126,000 loans.

At the same time, the Government continues to engage the support of our reliable international partners to expand business access to affordable financing. One such instrument is the World Bank’s RISE program. The program combines financing, reform of state support instruments and institutional strengthening, helping businesses grow, create jobs and enter foreign markets.

Today, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine, the National Development Institution (NDI) and the World Bank are announcing the launch of the “RISE: Small Business Resilience” communication campaign.

The initiative aims to raise entrepreneurs’ awareness of available financial resources — primarily through the modernized state program “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%,” which is systematically supported by the World Bank within the framework of RISE.

At the heart of the campaign is the strength and resilience of women entrepreneurs, who are increasingly becoming leaders of the country’s economic stability. They protect their families, take responsibility for their communities, relaunch relocated businesses, create new jobs and grow their own enterprises.

We will share real stories of women entrepreneurs who, thanks to the “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%” program and RISE, were able to realize their ambitious business plans.

These stories demonstrate that concessional lending is not just financial support, but also an opportunity for business to grow and contribute to Ukraine’s recovery. We aim to support every woman leader who boldly develops her business, enters new markets and takes part in rebuilding Ukraine.

RISE’s results already show the scale of this support: more than 50,000 businesses have benefited from the support program, receiving UAH 224 million, of which more than 10,000 are women-led enterprises, having created over 45,000 jobs, paying taxes, and providing fellow citizens with essential goods and services.

We are sincerely grateful to our international partners, whose financial solidarity helps the state support business, preserve its resilience, create conditions for further development, promote economic accessibility and support business during the war.

Follow our social media and our partners’ pages — soon we will share more about the RISE program and real stories of Ukrainian business that continues to develop despite everything.

We remind you that to take advantage of the state program “Affordable Loans 5-7-9%,” entrepreneurs need to contact an authorized bank participating in the program.

The list of banks, financing terms and detailed information about the program are available at the link: https://bdf.gov.ua/programs/dostupni-kredyty-5-7-9/