Project: “Integrated measures for Roma inclusion and empowerment in municipality of Blagoevgrad”

Implemented in: Blagoevgrad Municipality

Program: “Local development, poverty reduction and enhanced inclusion of vulnerable groups”

Implementation period: 11.04.2022 – 11.04.2024

Lead organisation: Blagoevgrad Municipality, Republic of Bulgaria

Partners: Trust for Social Achievement Foundation (ТSA); L.I.D.E.R. Personalities Ideas and Actions for Effective Solutions; Pirin Holding AS (Norway)

Project summary:
The project envisages the implementation of integrated measures, will cover many cases and will try to solve problems related to improving health status, reducing poverty, unfavorable environment and housing, lifestyle and more. The project will help facilitate access to education and health care and employment for the Roma community (5,100 people) and will help to overcome the risk of social exclusion and discrimination. A mobile health office equipped with medical equipment will be provided. Infrastructure activities are planned for the construction of a Community center and for waste collection. The results from the implementation of the project activities will contribute to increasing the level of acceptance of Roma by the majority in the municipality. Therefore, information campaigns are planned for both Roma and the majority. Activities for exchange of experience with donor countries are also envisaged, which will contribute to the achievement of the defined goals. Information and publicity measures are envisaged to promote the EEA Financial Mechanism 2014-2021. The duration of the project is 24 months.

The overall goal of the project is to create sustainable mechanisms to improve the condition and opportunities of people living in Roma communities in the municipality by implementing integrated measures, including improving access to social services, education, employment, health and non-discrimination, as well as empowering the Roma. Specific objectives of the project are: 1) Increasing the access of Roma and other vulnerable groups to better services in the following sectors: social assistance, education, employment and health; 2) Improving the living environment of Roma and other vulnerable groups; 3) Empowering Roma communities, including Roma women and youth, in order to actively participate in decision-making processes affecting their lives; 4) Opposition to all forms of discrimination and negative attitudes against the Roma population; 5) Improving the bilateral relations between donor countries and Bulgaria by sharing good practices. The project was developed with the active participation of the Roma community in Blagoevgrad, the Municipality and partner NGOs, and a needs analysis was carried out, based on which a set of related and complementary measures aimed at improving the situation and opportunities of the people living in the Roma communities on the territory of the municipality.

Grant amount: 967 650 EUR

Contact: Damian Kachulski
email: –
phone: 73 867703 (Municipality)
address: 2700 Blagoevgrad, Bulgarian, 1 Georgi Izmirliev Square

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