For Nana Tsotsonava, a project manager from Kutaisi, Georgia, real change doesn’t always begin with grand gestures. Sometimes, it starts with a conversation, an idea, or a gathering of minds in the right place at the right time. She is currently leading the EU4Youth project ‘Fostering Youth Social Entrepreneurship and Practical Career Management Skills’. 

Nana recently attended the Spring School, an intensive four-day learning experience that brought together 25 young changemakers from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, and Armenia. The event was organised by EcoVisio at EcoVillage Moldova and funded by the European Union’s EU4Youth programme. 

For Nana, this was more than just a workshop – the participants explored real sustainable solutions for communities, for digital transition and green economy.

“Inspiring, empowering, transformative,” she says, when asked to describe the experience in just three words. 

From mindset shifts to market choices 

One of the most immediate takeaways for Nana was the importance of awareness. Not just in campaigns or outreach, but in everyday decisions – like where and how we spend our money. This is a personal and intentional shift that she believes can ripple outward and influence communities. 

“My biggest ‘aha’ moment was realising how meaningful change often begins at the local level, with just one person or one idea.One immediate change I’m making is to support eco-friendly companies when I shop, whether it’s clothing or food.” 

Rethinking green entrepreneurship 

Nana admits her understanding of social and green entrepreneurship was tied to scale – big projects, big budgets, big impact. But that definition evolved. She understood that each region has its own environmental challenges, resources, and cultural dynamics, so successful green initiatives need to be tailored to fit those specific conditions. 

“Now, I understand that even small projects, like a change in mindset or choosing ethical options, can be part of it. It’s more about your actions, goals and values than the size of the initiative.” 

A message to young people: start small, think big 

EU4Youth and other similar programmes play a vital role in empowering young people across Eastern Partnership countries. They create meaningful opportunities for personal and professional growth, and help them recognise their potential to become changemakers. 

“In our region, young people often facechallenges such as limited careeropportunities and emigration,” said Nana.“EU4Youth initiatives are important because they help young people turn their ideas into reality, while also encouraging sustainable development. These initiatives help us realise that we are part of a larger community working toward shared goals likeinclusive societies.” 

Nana believes every young person has a role to play in shaping more sustainable communities and they don’t have to wait for the ‘perfect’ opportunity to begin.  

“Green entrepreneurship begins with small, meaningful steps. What you do can inspire others and help create real change.” 

The Spring School was organised by EcoVisio and funded by the ‘EU4Youth Programme Phase III: Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship’, within the Child Fund project ‘Promoting youth social entrepreneurship and practical career management skills in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia through the innovative approach of Student Social Companies (SSCs)’. 

The EU4Youth ‘Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship programme’ is funded by the European Union and the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry, and implemented by the Central Project Management Agency (CPVA) in the Eastern Partnership countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The programme will run until mid-2025 and aims to provide technical assistance to governmental and non-governmental organisations to tackle youth unemployment and improve employability.