Measure I.1– Improving the productivity and competitiveness of the area’s economic, rural and environmental resources
Project Title: SA – ŠA – Support to cooperation, inclusion, education and promotion of Roma culture in BiH and Serbia.
Project Budget:
| Project Value | EU Contribution | |
| Republic of Serbia | € 155,052.17 | € 131,639.29 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | € 140,082.00 | € 118,971.64 |
| TOTAL | € 295,134.17 | € 250,610.93 |
Beneficiary of funds in the Republic of Serbia: National Council of Roma in Serbia – Regional Office Sabac
Beneficiary of funds in Bosnia and Herzegovina: City of Sarajevo
Partners: Sarajevo Economic Region Development Agency SERDA and Hilfswerk Austria International HWA
Area of implementation:
- Serbia: Sabac, Bogatic, Koceljeva, Loznica
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sarajevo, Visoko, Kakanj, Kiseljak
The target groups of the project: Roma communities, wider public familiar with Roma communities
Project duration: 29/04/2013 – 29/07/2014
Project objectives:
The overall objectives: Support for social inclusion of Roma population in the cross border region of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia
The specific objectives of the project: Improving the position of the Roma minority in the cross border area between BiH and Serbia through: the establishment of cross border cooperation between NGOs through sharing experiences and finding common solutions for social problems, the promotion of Roma culture and traditions, and higher level of education and informing the Roma population.
Activities and results of the project
The project supported social inclusion of Roma population in the border area of B&H and Serbia. Through the project, partners were seeking to influence the situation of Roma with the aim of reducing the differences between Roma and other citizens. Furthermore, the project influenced on the vital areas which are of particular importance for inclusion in social trends, as well as improving economic and social status of Roma people.
More than 13.000 Roma people from Sarajevo, Visoko, Kiseljak and neighboring places, as well as 10.000 Roma from Sabac, Loznica, Bogatic and Koceljeva were involved in projects activities. All activities have been achieved based on participation of Roma population in them such as: IT training for 125 participant, 6 workshops/ field visits were organized with purpose to inform more than 700 Roma on topics important for their community: the way to employment, reproductive health, premature births and abortions, human rights and gender equality, the importance of inclusion in education and the importance of civil registration. In addition , lessons for hairdressers, beauticians and manicurists for 24 Roma women were organized in the founded and fully equipped “Beauty Academy Sa – Sa” within the project.
Roma culture and tradition has been presented through promotion the project in media. Thereby, an important step has been made on promotion and reduction of sterotypes and also on influencing the public awareness about the Roma. Also, Days of Roma culture and Evenings of Sofka Nikolić were organized in Sarajevo and Šabac with numerous public attendance. Two conferences were organised, a project brochure and web page www.sa-sa.org were made and the project was promoted in all media, too.
The project had a significant influence to integration of Roma population into labour market, economic and social development.
