Donors: European Union through European Agency for Reconstruction

Budget: 986.161,47 EUR

Duration: May 2007 – May 2009

Region: Kovin, Smederevo

Objectives:

The overall project objective is to support the implementation of the National Strategy for Resolving the Problems of Refugees and IDPs of the Republic of Serbia through facilitating the closure of collective centres and contributing to the overall living standard enhancement in the target areas. The project will support this process by providing housing and income generation assistance. The project is being fully implemented in the municipality of Kovin with the income generation assistance component in Smederevo.

Duration: 17 months
Budget: 986.161,47 euro


Target groups:

The main target group is the displaced population in these areas and the priority is given to refugee families still residing in collective centre on the territory of municipality of Kovin. The project also includes the local vulnerable population with the purpose of facilitating refugee integration into the host communities. At least 350 beneficiaries are going to be supported through different project components by the end of the project.


Activities:

The project purpose will be achieved through the following activities:

• Housing assistance provides support to refugee families in moving from collective centres to individual living quarters and in moving from inadequate private accommodation to more suitable conditions. The project envisages the construction of an apartment building for accommodation of 35 refugee families in Kovin;
• Income generation assistance contributes to the development of sustainable livelihoods for the target groups; 96 entrepreneurs will be supported through (a) donations of equipment and/or material (average value 1200 euro), (b) business and vocational training and (c) business support services.
• Enhancement of host community services through consultancy sessions and workshops for municipal officials, case studies, visits and information exchange with the aim of enhancing local management capacity and supervision of use and purpose of social housing programs.
• Development of community actions that facilitate the process of integration of refugees into host communities;
• Dissemination of return-related information to the displaced population including programs of return as well as go and see visits to the place of their origin in order to enable them to make informed decisions regarding their future.

July 2008, Smederevo
HELP client