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Description
According to a study realized by the World Bank, 9 out of 10 Roma people live in poverty and face social exclusion. Although there have been implemented projects and have been invested resources in inclusion of Roma, however, the situation of the localities where they live is even worse (FRA Study).
We believe that an approach is necessary which is based on community organizing where those voiceless will be empowered in relation with the local authorities, those who are in the position of the decision making. Without this project, the members of the communities where we will intervene will continue to be social dependant, ”clients” of the social measures with the victimhood mentality, perpetuating further the vicious cycle of poverty.
In this sense we propose to organize a series of activities such as training for Roma leaders and professionals (including Roma) in human rights and inclusive approach; combating segregation; workshops and trainings in community organizing and advocacy;
Forming CAGs and implementing advocacy and civic actions; developing of Local Strategies with the participation of community members.
The result of the projects will be: increasing the capacity of 269 vulnerable people and 63 professionals that work with vulnerable people; 533 people involved in advocacy and civic actions; 100 women empowered in order to get involved in community actions; 100 persons consulted in elaborating Local Development Strategies.
We want the 533 vulnerable people from interethnic localities who will benefit of the project to not be only ”beneficiaries”, consulted (paternalistic approach) but involved in all the activities as partners who will have the ownership of the implementation process.
Summary of project results
EZA project, organised in a series of thirteen activities, has accomplished the goal aimed - empowerment of vulnerable groups, bringing in this manner to inter ethnics communities development, with especial approach on Roma communities, women and disadvantaged youngsters.
More than 533 persons - members of targeted interethnic communities have been implied in advocacy and civic actions and activities, from which we list awareness civic actions toward local authorities, awareness and knowledge transfer about human rights, local spot school segregation, white flight phenomena and ways to combat it, domestic violence and abuse, workshops dedicated to women, greening and tidiness activities, lobby and help for the most disadvantaged members of communities, sport actions where nondiscrimination and non racism concepts have been explained, signing petitions, etc.
The project has aimed social inclusion for vulnerable groups of members, rising their understanding and knowledge to get implied in community''s development. Transnational partners, Institute for Rural Initiatives, had good interference with the activities, hence it has a great deal of experience regarding actions that empower rural communities.
Main results:
1 human rights course with 67 participants - improved capacity and knowledge for 67 people, informal leaders and community members regarding human rights
1 course in order to combat the phenomenon of school segregation and whiteflight with 15 participants
24 workshops in the 4 communities in ordert to Increase capacity and improve knowledge for 100 vulnerable women in terms of community organization, advocacy and civic actions, civic rights and human rights;
Training for local human resources in order to Increase level of knowledge and skills in domestic violence and abuse interventions for 20 participants; 1 new and integrated intervention model in case of abuse and/or domestic violence research and monitoring number of cases of domestic violence in the 4 communities 17 beneficiaries of the intervention/service model
At least 533 people from vulnerable groups mobilized in civic actions and advocacy (20 civic actions and/or advocacy, community organization)
1 entrepreneurship course for 16 people with increased capacity in the field of entrepreneurship; 8 business plans developed;
Improved capacity for 30 children and young people by acquiring the ability to play an instrument (violin) in order to combat the situation of vulnerability;
3 sports events with the participation of at least 144 students Level of tolerance/acceptance (between Roma and other ethnicities) increased and level of prejudice reduced
2 visits organized and carried out good practices acquired by both organizations and local authorities in the development of new initiatives dedicated to vulnerable rural communities