Eurobank, the well-known bank, announced the first results of its actions in the eastern borders of our country, in Evros, focusing on the demographic problem. We need not add anything, neither about the purpose nor the value of these actions! And for those who remember older advertisements of a banking product, "value priceless."
It was calculated that for every €1 invested in Eurobank's program for the demographic problem, part of which were the actions that concern us, €5.11 of social and economic value is created. For anyone living in the now-devastated countryside, let alone in remote areas, this multiplier seems small. The mere fact that a large financial organization is genuinely interested in doing something that will remain in the area immediately creates a very positive climate, a basic prerequisite for anything in life. The bank rightly states in its announcement that it found that young people do not want to leave their place, they simply… cannot stay. Seeing that a large organization is willing to help them, it is certain that some of them will reconsider.
Three pilot cases
In a video, Eurobank recounts the cases of 5 young people who, with the help of the financing provided to them, set up small businesses in Alexandroupoli, Didymoteicho, and… in the schoolyards across Evros. Two young people solved the big problem of succession in small businesses. An accounting office that was operating would close due to the retirement of its founder. With financing and guidance, two young scientists took over to carry it forward. And it seems they will succeed.
Think of the hope given to dozens or even hundreds of small local entrepreneurs who have no succession in their businesses! It is certain that all of them thought, "Could such a solution be found for us too?" That alone is enough to give new life to local affairs, to start searching for candidates, to assess value, to generate ideas on what else the economic unit could do next, now that economic transactions with neighboring Turkey seem to be entering a different basis.
Isn't this what we call economic climate? Discussions at home, in cafes, at work about its future. In remote Evros, this has been absent for many years.
Robots in Didymoteicho and cinema in the village!
And let's say that supporting an accounting office is close to a bank's interests. In Didymoteicho, a woman founded a robotics workshop for children! In the videos, children are seen training outside their closed laboratory space as well, in the open air, something that is forbidden in an urban environment. That is, these children will have an advantage over the privileged children of cities, since they will have seen their constructions in a real space and not just within four walls.
Not to mention the drones flying out in the fields, great joy!
Two other young people decided to bring culture to the villages and not the villagers to culture, as usually happens. They set up a mobile cinema (travelling cinema as it was called in the past) and bring the magic of the seventh art to schoolyards, squares, events, and festivals. Imagine the anticipation, especially for children, that the cinema will come to their schoolyard next week! But also the satisfaction of a young woman who cannot leave her two children and perhaps some elderly people to rush to Alexandroupoli to see a movie with her favorite actor. "Next time bring us that actor we really like," is the order that creates expectations that also change the climate.
And now the difficult part: Why didn't the municipal authorities…
All this is done with the help of a bank, which we all know its main purpose is to make a profit by moving money, not movies or robots. And yet here it was shown that any economic organization can implement actions with a serious social footprint, and moreover a lasting one. We are not talking about reforestation, which in the end might have happened on its own and better. We are talking about creating small businesses in very difficult areas. We are not talking about a donation to a local association. We are talking about creating a positive climate in the life and economy of a very critical region.
One inevitably thinks, since a bank, which neither knows nor has ever done robotics lessons or travelling cinema, manages to implement actions with such a positive footprint, why have organizations and institutions created for this purpose failed to create something similar across the country. And we refer to municipalities, municipal enterprises, development companies, programs, consultants, experts, and an army of people mainly funded by EU funds.
In recent years, with the flood of money flowing in from European funds, a multitude of actions are implemented in all sectors of the rural economy and society. But the result is meager and one does not need to do any study to see it: schools are closing, villages are left without shops and basic services, residents are forced to move to nearby cities so their children can get an education.
Local development under a new light: Effectiveness vs. local implementation
Since both state (public and EU) funds given for the development (so to speak) of the countryside and private funds targeting actions in the countryside have increased greatly over the years, perhaps it is time to put things in a new order and perspective. The so-far exclusive privilege of public and municipal authorities to carry out social policy actions should be reconsidered. The criterion for funding an action should be its effectiveness and not its preparation by a local authority, which, between us, has never been evaluated. Collaboration between private and local authorities would be a good idea, but not mandatory. Often local small interests and rivalries put a brake on good ideas. Innovative ideas do not always find fertile ground from the start in local organizations.
Complex issues, but necessary to be solved… yesterday, due to the urgency of the situation.
