Help continues supporting self-employment

Therefore in June and July were signed cooperation agreements between Help and local self-governments in Pirot and Smederevo respectively on the project “Poverty reduction and employment opportunities enhancement of marginalized and vulnerable population groups in Serbia”.

The same agreement with the City of Nis is expected to be signed by the end of August.
In the next three and a half years the Municipality of Pirot will co-finance the project in the amount of 114.625,00 EUR, which is 50 percent of the direct costs in this municipality. There are in total four components of the project: enabling employment of 82 persons in total providing in-kind grants for starting small businesses, equipment purchase for 2 cooperatives, additional professional education and trainings, as well as labor integration motivational workshops and related networking activities.

All the activities to be implemented in cooperation between Help and targeted cities are to directly and ultimately influence the poverty reduction, employment raise, entrepreneurship development and target group social integration boost.

In-kind grants will be available in two amounts – 1.200,00 EUR for 40 beneficiaries, and 2.400,00 EUR for 42 beneficiaries. The participation of the supported beneficiaries will correspond to the amount of the grant i.e. the repayment by 10 percent for lower grant and 20 percent for higher. The value of the equipment for cooperative amounts 15.000,00 EUR with participation of 20 percent.

The target group of marginalised Roma (at least 50 percent of the total supported beneficiaries) and other socially vulnerable population besides the equipment, business and vocational trainings, along with other unemployed will have an opportunity participating in additional professional education and trainings as well as labor integration workshops and related networking activities for motivation and awareness rising on employment possibilities. The aim is to increase participation of the unemployed in active self-employment.

This is the eight project cycle in a row between the organisation Help and the Municipality of Pirot which so far has resulted in total 281 supported individual beneficiaries and one cooperative.