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Description
The project aims to increase the inclusion and empowerment of a number of 668 Roma from Ogra commune, Mures County, through the development and implementation of local and social development services in the sectors of housing, education, employment, health, Roma empowerment and combating any form of discrimination against Roma. The main activities of the project deal with: Improving housing conditions by carrying out the legal assistance process to clarify the situation and housing rights for a number of 153 dwellings; Support for obtaining identity documents for 30 Roma people; Educational services for Roma people in vulnerable situations granted to 180 children. Within the non-formal activities, the children will be supported in the elaboration and launch of The Happy Book, which will include poems, stories, drawings, fashion sketches, etc.; Employment services through information, support, mediation, skills assessment, preparation for interviews for a number of 200 people, of which 170 people from the main target group (of which 60 Roma women and young women) and 30 people from the secondary target group; Health services - all 668 people included in the main target group of the project, will benefit from medical information by carrying out a number of 2 sequential health information campaigns in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic on topics related to environmental hygiene and home hygiene; Training actions for the development of networking, collaboration and direct work skills with Roma communities for a number of 17 professionals from the implementation teams of the PP and partners; Parental education programmes for 30 Roma adults; Implement Actions to Empower Roma for 70 Roma people, including 20 Roma women and 10 young Roma women, as well as for 10 Roma experts and leaders; Combating forms of discrimination against Roma by implementing concrete actions targeting 200 Roma people, 200 people from the majority population.
Summary of project results
Ogra is a commune in Mures County with a total of 2663 inhabitants, out of which approx. 40% officially self identify as Roma (unofficial figures indicate 60% Roma). The community faces numerous challenges in terms of lack of access to quality services in the fields of education, employment, health and appropriate housing conditions. Roma children have difficulties adapting to school, receive low grades, have absences, and lack the necessary resources at home to create a supportive environment for development. Most of the time, their school results are poor, and the majority of Roma students struggle to complete middle school. The Roma adults earn their living through daily labor, which generates irregular and insufficient income throughout the calendar year and does not ensure a steady flow of earnings for their families. Adults from poor families in the community have a low level of education and lack the necessary qualifications to secure employment through formal work contracts. The health condition of Roma individuals is predominantly poor, as these families lack the financial resources needed to access high-quality medical services, especially in the long term.
The project aimed to increase the inclusion and empowering of 668 Roma individuals, through the development and implementation of local and social development services in the sectors of education, employment and health.
An educational centre has been established and equipped with furniture and educational equipment in the local school and 280 children benefitted during the project from educational support activities. 207 Roma people have received vocational information and counselling, and 65 persons have received official recognition of competences for for various occupations (worker in agriculture, commercial worker) and have been supported to make contact with local employers. Various public health awareness raising campaigns have been carried out, reaching 412 people. A local action group has been established, composed of Roma individuals. Following a community consultative process, the Ogra Festival of Ethnicities has been organised, that promoted the Roma history, traditions and culture but also the connections with the Romanian and Hungarian cultures. Various seminars, sport and art activities, concerts with traditional music and culinary exhibitions have been organised. Over 2000 people atended. The local action group also identified local investment useful for the Roma community, for which formal proposals have been submitted to the municipality. The project also tackled discrimination at local level by developing an antidiscrimination strategy and carrying out one antidiscrimination campaign.
As a result of the project, 668 Roma from Ogra Commune have gained access to integrated services. The level of empowerment has increased both at individual and community level, the Roma community increasing its profile as participants in the local decision-making process. The ethnic relations at local level have improved, which was visible in the increased level of acceptance of the Roma by the local majority population.