The rise of rural tourism in Slobozia Mare

Ina Minciuna is an artisan from the village of Slobozia Mare, in the Cahul District of southern Moldova, who has successfully turned her passion for knitting and crocheting into a thriving business. She has opened a workshop where she creates woolen clothing and weaves rugs from natural sheep felt.

Minciuna’s journey began when she started making her first knitted items during her pregnancy. She showcased her creations on social media and received positive feedback, which motivated her to continue. In 2019, to participate in various projects, Minciuna registered her enterprise and began to gradually develop it.

“The idea of ​​seeking support from development partners came to me in 2019, when I became a craftswoman,” Minciuna says. “I participated in various projects and step by step, I started to grow my business and my professional activity.”

Minciuna is a member of the VIA Cahul Tourist Cluster, which is financially supported by the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions programme. This programme is funded by the European Union under its EU4Business Initiative and is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). 

Thanks to the EU4Moldova: Focal Regions programme, Minciuna received financial support of €2,500. This funding was used to purchase essential equipment for her craft, including a knitting machine and a wool felting machine. Additionally, she furnished her rural home with swings, benches, patio furniture, a pergola, and deck chairs, thus creating a conducive environment for both her creative process and for visiting guests, as she and her family also provide tourism services for locals and foreigners.

“Thanks to support from the European Union, I was able to purchase garden furniture,” Minciuna says. “Being a hard-working family with many ideas, we’re diversified in three activities. I’m in the craft business and my husband is a winemaker. My mother-in-law owns a gastronomic workshop.”

The Minciuna family exemplifies how dedication and passion can help individuals transform their ideas into successful businesses at home, all while promoting local traditions and crafts.

“We’re grateful to the European Union for giving us the opportunity to put our ideas into practice and develop businesses at home,” Minciuna says.

“I encourage people to contribute to the development of their communities, because we all have things to be truly proud of, and we all want to thrive in our hometowns.”

The EU4Moldova: Focal Regions Programme (2019–2024) supports intelligent, inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development in the Moldovan districts of Cahul and Ungheni, aiming to improve living standards for citizens. The total assistance provided is approximately €1.7 million to 75 entrepreneurs in the Cahul and Ungheni districts.

The programme has a total budget of €23 million, funded by the European Union under its EU4Business Initiative, and implemented by the UNDP and UNICEF.

The article was published by EU4Business initiative

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