New grant contracts in Pozarevac, Obrenovac and Vranje

Following the business trainings and grant contract’s signing the final beneficiaries will register their businesses and perform community service until in-kind grants are delivered.

Pozarevac

There were 87 interested applicants submitting business ideas to Help call for applications within the project. Among 25 signees, who passed two selection phases, to deal with crafts, services and farming (beekeepers, waste collectors, hairdressers, bakers, confectioners…) there are 12 Roma (six men and six women). Individual in-kind grant value ranges from 1500 to 3600 Euros so there are 11 grants each 1500, 11 grants each 2400 and three grants each 3600 EUR.
Grant contracts signing and delivery ceremony to final beneficiaries attended Help County Director Ms. Aleksandra Brkic and City Council Member Dejan Krstic, both congratulating the final beneficiaries and wishing them success in their businesses endeavours.

Obrenovac

Begining of August, in cooperation with the City Municipality of Obrenovac, in total 40 in-kind grants for employment and self-employment were handed in. Two selection stages and social and economic criteria process, resulted in awarding 18 grants per 1500 and 18 per 2400 EUR. There are also four grants per 3600 EUR.
“As a City Municipality, we are firmly committed to continue this kind of cooperation with the organization Help and/or any other organization ready to continue assisting Obrenovac” said City Council Member Aleksandar Pantelic.

Vranje

Final 30 beneficiaries to the project were selected in Vranje, 12 women and 18 men. They will receive the equipment for starting up 11 crafts and 19 services, like upholsters, waste collectors, musicians, tailors, bakers, painters, ceramists, blacksmiths, craftsmen for coolers and air conditioners, language schools and similar.
There are 15 Roma (7 Roma men and 8 Roma women) among signees. Following the business training consisting of management, marketing and business plan curricula, the beneficiaries will soon receive the in-kind grants in equipment individual values ranging 1500, 2400 and 3600 EUR, procured by Help.
Within the project, 20 young unemployed people got the chance for a professional training and practice in duration of six months and possibility of permanent employment.
Signing the grant contracts attended Head of the Help Vranje Office Bane Stanojkovic and the Mayor o the City of Vranje Slobodan Milenkovic.

Project „Poverty reduction and enhancement of employment opportunities of marginalized and vulnerable population groups with focus on Roma women in Serbia“ is implemented by the German non-governmental organization “Help-Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe”, and financed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency Sida. The project worth 1.820.295,00 EUR is implemented since May 2014 until end of August 2017 in Kraljevo, Krusevac, Leskovac, Obrenovac, Pozarevac, Prijepolje, Trstenik, Vladicin Han, Vlasotince and Vranje.
The project goal is integration of marginalized Roma and other socially vulnerable population groups and poverty reduction among the targeted groups. Specific objective is to provide Roma, especially Roma women and youth – and other vulnerable population groups with improved access to the labour market.