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Description
Located in the Tarnavelor Plateau, Valea Viilor commune is an old Saxon settlement in Sibiu County. According to the assessment of the formal and informal local leaders, 25% of the commune''s inhabitants belong to the Roma minority, which replaced the ethnic German who emigrated. At the 2011 census only 9.29% of citizens declared themselves Roma, belonging to this ethnic group, language and culture being stigmatized. According official records the other nationalities are represented by Romanians 84,3% and Hungarians 2,19%.
Although it has been almost 40 years since the large number of Roma settled in the community, their economic and social integration is far from being achieved. The Roma from Valea Viilor are not attracted and nor accepted in the activities of the dominant majority, they have limited access to resources, employment and income-generating activities and lower benefits from medical, social or educational services. In general Roma population is less employed, poorer and less educated.
The project aims to induce systemic changes bringing economic downturn and social integration for the benefit of the community of Roma, young and vulnerable people.
Openfields Foundation, the project solicitor, has seven projects dedicated to Roma in its portfolio. In order to motivate the community an innovative agricultural model will be used: planting fruit trees and garden plants. This lucrative agro-horticultural activity will attract the energy of the entire community around which social, economic, infrastructure and public policy issues are debated, studied and improved.
The project partner, Valea Viilor Town-Hall, will activate the community, promote the Romani culture, music and dance, include the results in its development strategy and disseminate them at local and national level.
At the end of the project, the gap between the Roma population and the other ethnic groups as well as the harmonious coexistence within the community will be achieved.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the challenge of socially and economically integrating the Roma communities in Valea Viilor and neighboring areas, a marginalized group with limited access to resources, employment, and essential services. The Roma community constitutes approximately 25% of the population in Valea Viilor, but stigmatization and lack of opportunities have perpetuated poverty and social exclusion.
The main activities of the project included community mobilization around sustainable agriculture through the planting of fruit trees and vegetables, horticultural training, and awareness campaigns. Greenhouses, seeds, tools, and seedlings were distributed, and residents participated in professional training sessions and community actions, including environmental clean-ups and the promotion of Roma culture. The results achieved include a significant reduction in the gap between the Roma and other ethnic groups, an increase in community cohesion, and an improvement in the economic conditions of the beneficiaries. The project directly impacted over 1,000 adults, and educational and cultural activities involved more than 600 students and community members, contributing to harmonious coexistence. The main beneficiaries were members of the Roma community, young people, and vulnerable individuals from Valea Viilor and 11 other localities in Sibiu County. The project was supported by the Open Fields Foundation and the Valea Viilor Town Hall, with the results to be integrated into the local development strategies
Main Results: Following the implementation of the project''s activities, 12 communities from Sibiu County were mobilized to carry out activities related to sustainable agriculture by planting fruit trees and vegetables, training in horticulture and awareness campaigns. 30 solariums, 300 packets of seeds, 315 packets of tools and sprinklers, 300 packets of vegetable and flower seedlings were distributed, and residents participated in professional training sessions and community actions, including greening and promoting Roma culture. The results obtained include a significant decrease in the gap between the Roma and the other ethnic groups, an increase in community cohesion and the improvement of the economic conditions of the beneficiaries. The project directly impacted over 1000 adults, and the educational and cultural activities involved over 600 students and community members, contributing to a harmonious coexistence. The main beneficiaries were members of the Roma community, young people and vulnerable people from Valea Viilor and from 11 other localities in Sibiu County.