Donors: European Union and managed by the European Agency for Reconstruction

Duration: December 2006 – October 2008

Region: Kraljevo, Krusevac, Uzice, Kragujevac

Budget: 1.5 million Euro

Description: The proposed project aims to support internally displaced persons (IDPs) by addressing clearly two highest priorities - housing needs and economic independence, both tackling real needs and breaking cycles of disadvantage and dependency of IDPs during their displacement.

The main project activities are the following:

• alternative housing assistance
• income generation activities
• capacity building
• implementation of municipal projects
• coordination and supervision of communal work
• raise awareness activities about existing programmes, including return and site visit programmes

In municipalities of Kraljevo and Uzice, the project foresees the construction of approximately 60 dwelling units for the accommodation of IDPs currently accommodated in collective centres planned for closure.

Furthermore, in municipalities of Kraljevo, Kragujevac, Uzice and Krusevac, 200 start-up businesses (IGA) will be supported with grants in the form of equipment and/or material in the average value of EUR 1,200 and will receive business and vocational trainings as well as business counseling. This project component will be implemented in partnership with local NGO “Advisory–Service Centre for the Development of Entrepreneurs – Integra” which has strong experience in managing income generation programmes in the region of Central Serbia.

Furthermore, host community services shall be enhanced through municipal capacity building for managing similar interventions in future and through support to social and/or public institutions at local level in expanding physical capacities and improving quality of service.

Similar to other HELP projects, HELP will work in close co-operation with the Commissariat for Refugees, local governments and institutions at local level, as well as other national and international stakeholders.

Current activities:


Construction component

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.

10th October 2008, Kraljevo
Apartment building opening in Kraljevo

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.

9th October 2008, Uzice
Apartment building in Uzice

Income generation activities

The purchase of material and equipment for HELP clients is completed. All 200 clients received their equipment according to the standard purchase procedures. The monitoring of clients who received the equipment is also completed. In cooperation with the Regional Centers for SME Development Zlatibor, Regional agency for SME Development Sumadija d.o.o. Kragujevac and Regional centre for SME development Krusevac, HELP organized a one-day orientation training as well as the vocational trainings. These trainings should enable entrepreneurs to obtain additional knowledge of the business activities they are involved in.

The organization of work for community has been coordinated in cooperation with the municipalities of Kraljevo, Uzice , Krusevac and the City of Kragujevac. The clients donated 20 hours of work for their local communities. The work for community is performed in line with their skills and business activities but meeting the actual needs of their local communities. All clients fulfilled this obligation. All 200 clients registered their business activity.

Orientational training, Kraljevo

HELP's client