More information
Description
The project "Equity for health, equity for a better life!" aims to increase the social inclusion and empowerment of 1400 Roma from rural and urban marginalized areas of Bacau County. Within the project, a package of medical services and health education will be provided, while organizing joint actions to encourage the active participation of Roma in the decision-making process and to promote the fight against discrimination. The target group is located in the villages of Buda-cătun Şipote and Poiana Negustorului from Blăgești commune and Şupan district from Comănești town, Bacău County and consists of 1230 Roma who will have increased access to quality health services and health education; 40 young Roma who will become Volunteers of the Red Cross, contributing innovatively to the achievement of the project objective, 124 Roma who will participate in information sessions and social-supportive and legal counseling, acquiring new skills to act to solve the problems faced by the entire community, 6 Roma people who will become "community saviours" (first aid trained community members) who will solve minor emergencies or prevent major emergencies and 200 non-Roma people who will be sensitized about the culture and history of the Roma. The partnership includes the NGO environment (The Bacau Red Cross - a traditional humanitarian organization and the European Roma Association for Progress and Intercultural Promotion AFJ - a representative Roma organization) and local public authorities (Comănești Municipality and Blăgești Comune) formed for the successful implementation of the project, the parties being actively involved in these communities also during the sustainability period.
Summary of project results
The initiation of the project was needed given the reduced educational participation of Roma children, low level of education, lack of knowledge among the majority of young and adult Roma population, precarious health, insufficient health information, but also by the presence of discrimination in the medical staff–patient relationship, aspects present today in the roma communities in villages such as Buda and Poiana Negustorului from the commune of Blăgești and the Șupan district in Comănești (Bacău County). These are marginalized areas, where there is a major need for intervention to reduce poverty and social exclusion.
The project aimed to improve the social inclusion and empowerment of Roma people from disadvantaged rural and urban areas of Bacău County. In order to achieve the main goal of the project, a medical and health education service package was provided, together with actions meant to encourage the active participation of Roma people in the decision-making process and in promoting non-discrimination.
In order to achieve the main goal of the project, a medical and health education service package was provided, together with actions meant to encourage the active participation of Roma people in the decision-making process and in promoting non-discrimination.
Also, within the project, three basic first aid points were set up, properly equipped, in the homes of three families, one in the village of Buda, the second in the village of Poiana Negustorului in Blăgești commune and the third in Șupan district in Comănești. Families of “community rescuers” were trained through an intensive basic first aid course, and have the role of solving minor emergencies in the community and preventing the aggravation of the situation in case of major emergencies.
The project activities included: trainings on health education topics for 540 Roma adults and for 865 pupils (of which 440 Roma), students of the targeted communities schools; providing medical services through at-home medical check-ups for 200 elderly Roma people and 50 chronic patients and free dental check-ups for 90 Roma children; training a number of 40 young Roma as volunteers of the Bacau Red Cross Branch, after obtaining certification by completing and graduating the first-aid course; conducting basic first-aid workshops and demonstrations with the participation of 180 mothers, accompanied by young children; conducting social-supportive counseling and legal counseling; non-formal and cultural-artistic educational actions to promote the customs and traditions of the Roma ethnicity.
At the end of the project, 1230 Roma people gained access to quality medical and health education services; 40 young Roma people became Red Cross volunteers, creatively contributing to reaching the project''s goal; 124 Roma people attended social support and legal information and counselling sessions, thus acquiring new skills allowing them to act so as to solve the problems faced by the entire community, 6 Roma people became community rescuers solving minor emergencies or preventing major emergencies and 200 non-Roma people were sensitized to the Roma history and culture.
The project contributed to the increase of social inclusion and the empowerment of the Roma population in the three localities of Bacău County by: increasing the access and quality of sectoral or integrated services in sectors such as social assistance, education, employment, health and housing, the ability of the Roma (Empowerment), especially of Roma women and young women, of experts and young Roma, improving the population''s intervention capacity through the three first-aid points, the three families of "community rescuers", developing the capacities for involvement in community life, improving the quality of life of the beneficiaries and preventing and combating any form of discrimination by promoting the cultural-historical heritage of the Roma.