Everyone Can Make Their Career Dreams Come True!

Citibank Europe plc,

organizační složka

Prague, 17th August 2009

Everyone can make their career dreams come true!

One can start a business or a career anytime - regardless of age, formal education and professional experience. Interested people can acquire the necessary know-how in ERUDIA’s subsidized courses that are tellingly called “Learn Business Management”.

Prosperita, a charitable organisation supported by the Citi Foundation and, organizační složka, is preparing a series of subsidized educational courses entitled “Learn Business Management” to be held between October 2009 and March 2010. Participants of the course will be able to benefit from practical knowledge on financial management, small team management, small business marketing and customer communication.

Admission to the course is only open to people who receive social benefits like unemployment, child and parent benefits . The courses are especially suitable for mothers on maternity leave or for people who have been unemployed for a long time who find it difficult to find a job. this course is designed to refresh their skills, and better their prospects of finding employment.

The price of the course reflects the fact that it is keyed to recipients of social benefits. While the standard market price for a similar training approximately CZK 3,000 - 4,000 per day, participants of the course series “Learn Business Management!” pay only the administration fee of CZK 200 per day. “This is possible due to the fact that the project is financed from resources of the Citi Foundation, distributed in the Czech Republic by the Citibank Europe Czech branch,” says Petr Kloboučník, project manager of Prosperita, o.p.s.

“Financial literacy is one of the most important missions of the Citi Foundation, which aims at helping people, families and communities to make correct decisions in the financial sphere. It comes natural that we support Erudia’s courses which help people reach financial self-sufficiency,” said Kenneth E. Quinn, CCO Citibank Europe plc, organizační složka.

The 8-day course will be held in each of Prosperita’s four regional centres: in Prague, Brno, Hradec Králové and České Budějovice. Firm dates will be determined by September 2009 and published at where you can find details about the courses available. Registrations are accepted from July 2009 through ERUDIA’s web ( or by calling telephone number 242480 242.

The seminars will be held by managers with considerable expertise who are ready to share their business and professional knowledge and practical experience. During the final part of the course, each participant will defend their own business project against partners, sponsors, or bankers who decide about granting a loan.

Prosperita organized the “Learn Business Management” in 2008/2009, too - again with support of Citibank. A total of 72 participants registered. “A number of successful participants are already running their businesses. They had a good idea and our course, at least according to the positive feedback we are getting, helped them get started. They embarked on their own businesses or new careers,” adds Petr Kloboučník of Prosperita.

Successful participants of “Learn Business Management!” courses

1st story: Ms. Alena was able to turn healthy cooking into a successful business project

Ms. Alena Mokrá is one of the successful participants of the “Learn Business Management!” course. She was 53 when she lost her job. She could not find a new one and did not qualify for early retirement. Health issues complicated her situation even further.

“I was trying to get out of this misery because at my age, it is very difficult to find a decent job. An assistant at the job centre told me about the “Learn Business Management!” course. My main motivation was to get an idea of what one has to know before starting a business, to identify gaps in my knowledge and to find out whether I could do it at my age,” says Ms. Mokrá.

She gradually turned her great passion - healthy cooking - into a business project. The result is the highly popular website Upon request of her clients, Ms. Mokrá wrote a book about healthy cooking which will soon be published. She offers consultancy on healthy nutrition via phone or e-mail.

2nd story: You can run a business even on a maternity leave

Ms. Jindra Dienstbierová has been a translator for many years. When she started her maternity leave, she wanted to work in this area and earn some money while taking care of her baby. “I did not know what I needed to do to start a business and the how much one should have as a capital. I lacked courage and did not know how to get started. In the course, I found out that I did not need high initial capital, which made me eager to try it out,” adds Ms. Jindra Dienstbierová. So far, she has a contract of services with various companies but as she is getting more and more work, she plans to apply for a trade licence and become an individual entrepreneur. After taking the course, she knows how to do it.

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The Citi Foundation is committed to the economic empowerment of individuals and families, particularly those in need, in the communities where we work so that they can improve their standard of living. Globally, the Citi Foundation targets its strategic giving on its priority focus areas: Microfinance and Microenterprise, Small and Growing Businesses, Education, and Financial Education and Asset Building. The Citi Foundation works with its partners in Microfinance and Microenterprise and Small and Growing Businesses to support environmental programs and innovations. Additional information can be found at

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Based on the belief that knowledge is your greatest asset, the Citi Financial Education Program is a global, company-wide effort to identify, support and implement initiatives that help give individuals, families and communities the tools needed to make sound financial decisions. Citi's ten-year, $200 million global commitment is focused in three areas: Personal, Small Business and Institutional Financial Education. Additional information about Citi Financial Education Program, including Citi Foundation guidelines, links and resources and the Citi Financial Education Program Curriculum and Facilitator's Guide may be found at

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