October 2008

Vlasotince

HELP received an October award, at the festive session on the occasion of the Day of the municipality of Vlasotince, for the financial and material assistance provided to the Municipality of Vlasotince and its citizens in November 2007 when this area was struck with the flood.

 

10th October 2008, Kraljevo

Head of the European Commission's Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, ambassador Josep M. LLoveras and Head of the German “Erlenbach” Foundation, Mrs. Erlenbach, and Country Director of HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V., Mr. Timo Stegelmann, handed over to the Mayor of Kraljevo Milos Babic a building complex of 48 apartments which will improve living conditions for 38 families which were internally displaced from Kosovo and ten severely vulnerable families from Kraljevo.

This housing project in Kraljevo is part of a wider assistance programme funded by the European Union and implemented by HELP-Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V., a German non-governmental humanitarian organization, with a total value of €1.6 million. Activities from the project “Assistance Programme for IDPs through Alternative Housing Solutions and Income Generation Support " started in December 2006 under the management of the European Agency for Reconstruction in the cities of Kraljevo, Uzice, Kragujevac and Krusevac.

With particular reference to Kraljevo, the EU donation of over €700,000 was used to provide alternative temporary housing solutions for IDP families from Kosovo, currently hosted in collective centers “Vila Morava”, “Vila Maricic” and “DP Mataruska Banja” through the provision of the apartments and support of micro-business activities. Additionally, the project involved vulnerable cases belonging to local population contributing to the overall stability and poverty reduction in the region.

In addition to the EU, German Foundations “Erlenbach”, “Sternstunden e.V.” and HELP e.V. donated 80,000 EUR for the construction of six additional apartments on the same location, intended for accommodation of vulnerable young families with children.

The City of Kraljevo provided the location and connection to the communal infrastructures and will provide road access to the neighbourhood.

Furthermore, seventy-one (71) business activities were supported through equipment and/or material donation in the average value of €1,200, along with business, vocational trainings and professional business consultations. Beneficiaries of this component are socially vulnerable IDPs and local population, with sound business ideas to start or develop individual economic activities which would provide them with regular income. It should be emphasized that this component of the project was financially supported by the city of Kraljevo.

The construction works are completed, while the selection procedure of beneficiaries is still ongoing and will be finalized until the end of November, 2008.

HELP believes that the excellent cooperation established with the European Agency for Reconstruction and the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of Serbia,the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and the authorities of the City of Kraljevo during the project implementation has ensured the success and the sustainability of the action.

10th October 2008, Kraljevo
Apartment building opening

Apartment building in Kraljevo

 

9th October 2008, Uzice

Head of the European Commission's Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, ambassador Josep M. LLoveras and Country Director of organization HELP – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. handed over to the Mayor of Uzice, Mr. Jovan Markovic, a residential building with 18 apartments in Sevojno, which will allow temporary housing of 18 internally displaced families from Kosovo.

HELP-Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V., a German non-governmental humanitarian organization, has used a total of €301,000 of EU funds for this particular project. Since 2006 HELP is in charge of a €1.6 million of EU funds for similar projects which are part of the “Assistance Programme for IDPs through Alternative Housing Solutions and Income Generation Support " taking place in Kraljevo, Uzice, Kragujevac and Krusevac.

The beneficiary families displaced from Kosovo are currently hosted in collective center “Zlatibor-Standard” and this project will for them secure apartments and support of micro-business activities.

As a partner in the project, the City of Uzice provided the location and connection to the communal infrastructures.

The this EU project implemented by HELP,  nineteen (19) business activities were supported through equipment and/or material donation in the average value of EUR 1,200, along with business, vocational trainings and professional business consultations. Beneficiaries of this component are socially vulnerable IDPs, with sound business ideas to start or develop individual economic activities which would provide them with regular income. It should be emphasized that this component of the project was financially supported by the City of Užice.

With the construction work now  completed, it is expected that the beneficiary selection process which is in progress  will be finalized until the end of November, 2008.

HELP believes that the excellent cooperation established with the European Agency for Reconstruction, the Delegation of the European Commission to the Republic of Serbia, the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and City Authorities during the project implementation has ensured the success and the sustainability of the action.

9th October 2008, Uzice
Apartment building handover

Apartment building in Uzice