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Description
Participation of Roma people in improving their surroundings and bettering their situation is usually low. The aim of the project is to promote the participation of vulnerable groups from marginalized Roma communities in improving their surroundings and housing conditions and education in the area of financial literacy. The necessary repairs of the buildings will be carried out on residential houses with the involvement and participation of Roma minority members, thus ensuring increased care for the protection of common property. Financial literacy education will teach them how to reduce the monthly cost of housing, e.g. saving water, housing safety measures and fire prevention. Another main goal of the project is to create an advocacy group from representatives of the target group. The advocacy group will serve as a communication tool for transferring the needs of the target group to the local government. Project plans to impact 750 vulnerable people from Roma minority.
Summary of project results
The Roma communities in Slovakia face a complex set of challenges, often exacerbated by a long history of marginalization, poverty, and social exclusion. These issues affect access to education, employment, healthcare, and housing, and they often manifest in local community relations.
The main goal of the project was to involve and empower the Roma from the community in Velky Krtis, which is the small town in south of central Slovakia in addressing some of these problems.
On the basis of mapping the needs of the Roma community in Velky Krtis, with which the project promoter have been cooperating for a long time, various problems that had to be solved were identified. Firstly - the threat of loss of drinking water supply for the entire street, due to the fact that the water meter shaft was in an emergency condition. Secondly - the high speed limit for cars and trucks at the street where a large number of children are playing. The third problem was broken sidewalks and roads. People from this community were not able to carry out such a reconstruction or advocate for themselves and the Project promoter undertook the effort jointly with them.
Advocacy group by the members of the community was created. Three round tables were held, in the presence of local government representatives, where identified problems and threats to the community were presented, key proposals were identified and tasks were delegated to individual attendees.
Reconstruction of the water measuring shaft, reduction of the speed to 30 km/h for cars and written promise that they will repair the road were achieved. Roma minority was empowered and partnership between the advocacy group and municipality was created. Advocacy group will work for the benefit of the community even after the end of the project.