• The initiative seeks women living in rural municipalities in the Community of Madrid to receive free training, as well as support in case they decide to start a business.
• The program is led by the Resource Center for Associations and Municipalities (CREA), a non-profit state entity that works in several autonomous communities to promote employability-building activities.

"Entrepreneurship is a desirable option, not an obligation." This is the premise behind the "Rural Woman Social Entrepreneur +45" (MRES +45) project, a training and development program whose objective is to contribute to improving the labor market integration of women in rural areas of the Community of Madrid. Specifically, the initiative seeks to promote employment for women aged 45 or older through entrepreneurship , self-employment, or salaried employment.

The project seeks to recruit a group of approximately 80 rural women from across the Community of Madrid. Training will begin once registration closes. Currently, 20 women have signed up.

The requirements to participate in the program are:

• Be a woman 45 years of age or older.
• Reside in rural municipalities of the Community of Madrid.
• Have access to the internet (computer, tablet or mobile).
• Request and complete the registration form: to do so, write to dformacionrural@crea-red.es

Program

The MRES +45 program consists of two phases:

1. Training Phase : Consisting of six modules delivered weekly: a weekly training session with its corresponding teaching unit and tutoring. At the end of this phase, participants who have met the attendance and participation requirements will receive a certificate of completion.
2. Support Phase: Participants will be provided with the guidance and support they need to launch an entrepreneurial project. Participants will be informed about the options available to them, including how to apply for and obtain state, regional, provincial, and municipal funding and subsidies, as well as the grants they are eligible for if they ultimately decide to pursue a project.

In the words of Sonia Moreno, project coordinator, "Women who choose to become entrepreneurs will be advised throughout the process by qualified professionals in the legal, social, and economic fields." Sonia adds that "it's about recognizing the work done by women in rural areas and their potential, to promote equal opportunities for all in the collective construction of sustainable rural development."

The program is led by the Resource Center for Associations and Municipalities (CREA), a non-profit state organization that works in the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Madrid, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, La Rioja, Galicia, and Asturias to promote employability.