Jelena Miletić, an entrepreneur from Medveđa and the owner of Zavičaj u tegli, shared her journey, insights on women’s entrepreneurship, and the production that has brought her widespread recognition with EUpravo zato.

Zavičaj u tegli employs women who use the finest red peppers from the Leskovac region to make ajvar and cosmetics. It may sound unusual, but this combination embodies everything a sustainable production model should aim for. The production process is entirely traditional, and no waste is left behind—it all goes into cosmetics. Jelena explained how it all began.

A Journey to Success

"Ajvar is a traditional product in southern Serbia—winter is unimaginable without it. I’m a big fan of authentic ajvar, the kind I now produce myself," Jelena shared.

"When I lost my job, I decided to start my own production business rather than sit and wait for an opportunity that was hard to come by. Through the National Employment Service, I received funding to support self-employment and embarked on my entrepreneurial journey."

This decision marked the beginning of a success story—not just for Jelena but for her family, the community, women’s entrepreneurship, and the environment, as Jelena is committed to all these causes.

A Traditional Yet Sustainable Production Process

Speaking about her production process, Jelena explained: "The production process hasn’t changed much because I focus on traditional methods, with everything done by hand. This means production can’t be scaled significantly. If I could increase production by 30%, I could consider hiring more women. For now, I’m proud to say the women in my community are always ready to lend a hand."

Support from the EU

Jelena’s innovative approach was recognised as a model of good practice, earning support from the European Union.

Her idea to use leftover ajvar pepper waste to create soaps and bio face masks is one of 16 innovative solutions selected to accelerate the green transition of the economy and society, funded by the EU initiative EU for the Green Agenda in Serbia.

"I received EU support under the Green Agenda in Serbia, which is significant for me, as my production has a dead period from December to May. Things fell into place when I met Sanida Klarić at a fair in Belgrade. Through her Social Association, she helped me learn how to make soaps and close the production cycle.

Did You Know?

After producing one kilogramme of ajvar traditionally, up to one kilogramme of waste remains, consisting of seeds, stems, and other pepper parts. In southeastern Serbia, particularly in the Jablanica district, famous for its peppers and high-quality ajvar, the ajvar production season generates up to 21,000 tonnes of bio-waste, much of which ends up in unregulated landfills.

In collaboration with Bioidea, the Faculty of General and Physical Chemistry, and the Faculty of Entrepreneurship, we joined the project. Now, my ajvar is unique because it produces no waste. We dry, grind, and use leftover peppers in soaps as an active ingredient, making our production truly sustainable.

Thanks to the EU, I was able to purchase additional equipment for soap production and expand my operations," Jelena explained.

The Role of Women’s Entrepreneurship

Women’s entrepreneurship signifies a shift in the economic structure of rural communities and is a crucial factor in women’s emancipation and economic empowerment.

"Women’s emancipation in small communities is critical because many are unaware of the opportunities they’ve been denied. Rural women often don’t position themselves as equals from the outset, as they typically handle most of the household responsibilities," Jelena noted.

She added that while women’s entrepreneurship is discussed, it’s still not given enough attention.

"There isn’t enough talk about it, and support measures should be more substantial and flexible," she concluded.

For guidance on accessing EU funds and support for your ideas, visit eumogucnosti.rs.