From City Nurse to Rural Entrepreneur: How One Woman Built a Healthy Snack Empire

A new project in the Republic of Komi is helping rural entrepreneurs turn their ideas into businesses. One success story comes from Yekaterina Rayevskaya, a former city resident who moved to the village of Mezhadur and launched a healthy snack company. Her journey began with support from a local employment programme offering financial aid to startups.

Yekaterina Rayevskaya originally lived in Syktyvkar, where she graduated from the Trade and Technology College in 2011 with a marketing degree. Later, she worked as a junior nurse at the Strength of Life Republican Kunib Boarding School. But after relocating to Mezhadur, she found a new passion—cooking.

With help from the Sysola branch of the *Work in Russia* employment centre, Yekaterina secured over 180,000 rubles in funding. This money allowed her to start a business producing sugar-free pastila, fruit and berry chips, and other natural snacks. Her husband, employed at the local agricultural firm Mezhadorskoye LLC, supported her venture. The *Rural Life: Stay and Grow* project, a joint effort by *Komiinform* and *Work in Russia*, aims to boost rural development across Komi's districts. The initiative promotes job opportunities in villages, with 105 vacancies currently listed in Sysola District alone. Yekaterina's business is one example of how the programme helps residents build careers in their communities. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her product range, testing new flavours and formats to reach more customers.

Yekaterina's story shows how targeted funding can turn local skills into thriving businesses. The Rural Life: Stay and Grow project continues to support similar ventures, offering both financial aid and job listings. For now, her healthy snacks remain a small but growing part of Mezhadur's economy.