Ford Romania, the local subsidiary of the American automaker, has announced that it will support eight new social entrepreneurship programs in Craiova. In this city, Ford operates a vehicle assembly plant and an engine plant. The programs are part of the Ford Resource and Engagement Centre (FREC) initiative, which aims to foster social innovation and community development in the region.
The FREC Craiova was inaugurated in 2018 as the first of its kind in Europe and the fourth globally. It is a collaboration between Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, working with their international grant-making partner GlobalGiving; Asociația Pentru Educație SV Oltenia (EDUCOL), a local non-profit organization that seeks to maximize training, development and employment opportunities for young people; and the City Hall of Craiova, that have provided building premises and ongoing support.
The FREC Craiova acts as a social incubator hub where students and recent graduates from the University of Craiova can design and launch innovative and sustainable social enterprises to help their local community. The projects cover various fields such as education, health, environment, culture, and sports.