Donor: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation - SDC, Kraljevo Municipality and City of Kragujevac

Duration: January 2006 - December 2006

Budget: 372.901,76 EUR

Region: Kraljevo, Kragujevac, Užice

Description: in 2006, HELP-Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V. will continue the realization of the project “Poverty reduction through support to start-up businesses and socio-economic integration of refugees and IDPs” which started in May 2004.

In Kraljevo Municipality , at least 15 vulnerable households, in Uzice Municipality at least 20 vulnerable households, and in City of Kragujevac at least 30 vulnerable households will be assisted with in-kind grants.

Beneficiaries of this programme will be refugees, IDPs and other socially deprived persons with sound business ideas for starting or development of individual economic activities, which will provide them with regular income. Eligible are small craft shops (for all kinds of crafts, such as metal, carpentry, electrical, etc.), tailoring, mini farms, cheese production, herbs drying, small bakeries, fruit processing, packaging and similar..

Projects meeting set conditions and submitted by women and persons living in rural areas will particularly be supported.

Criteria for beneficiary selection are economic viability of the project, social vulnerability, dimension of the required investment, and professional skills of the candidate

The allocated assistance will be distributed utterly in form of equipment or material; there will be no cash disbursements. The average amount of one grant is fixed on approximately 174 000 DIN (2 000 EUR).

Each beneficiary will be obliged to:

•  register the activity within the HELP assistance, latest 30 days after the signing Contract, but before receiving of equipment/material

•  attend a basic training defined by HELP

•  perform 15 hours of community work and

•  repay in cash 20% from the total grant amount on specified bank account

Current activities:

On the territories of Kraljevo and Uzice municipalities and the city of Kragujevac, all 73 clients received the equipment/material and started their business activities.

The implementation of municipal projects proposed by municipalities and local partners was financed through clients’ repayments of 20% of the total value of the donated equipment/material.

July 2006, Kragujevac
Equipment delivery to HELP client

Uzice municipality:

• municipal project for National Employment Service, Branch office Uzice - “Training of unemployed persons for entrepreneurship” completed

• municipal project for Regional Centre for Development of SMEs and Entrepreneurship "Zlatibor" – “Virtual incubator for HELP`s Programme users” completed

Kraljevo municipality:

Three municipal projects have been completed:

• Regional Center for SME Development, KRUSEVAC-KRALJEVO-CACAK - Virtual Incubator "Kraljevo",

• Ecological Center Lopatnica – “Old values – new economic opportunities” and

• National Employment Service, Branch office Kraljevo – “To create job by self”.

The city of Kragujevac:

Three municipal projects have been completed:

• ”Sumadija”, Company in social ownership for employment of the disabled Department – “Enhancement of employability of the disabled and other unemployed”,

• Social Company for employment and work capacity enhancement of the disabled DP "GRAFOPROMET" Kragujevac – “PLASTIFICATION MACHINE "TOTAL PLAST" and

• - National Employment Service, Branch office Kragujevac - “Enhancement of the entrepreneurship development by establishing Business center within the Branch office Kragujevac “.

All clients performed the work for community. All business and vocational trainings for clients have been organized and completed.

June 2006
Orientation training, Kraljevo

The adaptation and reconstruction of five cabins in Mokra Gora have been completed.

October 2006
The interior of a cabin, Mokra Gora

October 2006
A cabin, Mokra Gora

May 2006
A cabin, Mokra Gora