The Learning Centre provides psycho-educational support to children in need

As part of the Sida-funded project 'Support to Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Mitrovicë/a', the Learning Centre in Roma Mahalla, Mitrovicë/a will provide children in need with psycho-educational support in order to better cope and overcome developmental difficulties.

Psychologists from Diakonie Kosova - Psychosocial Centre for Trauma Therapy, in cooperation with DRC's implementing partner LNGO RADC have assessed children between the ages of 6-14 and recommended 12 children, some of which have special needs, to participate in psycho-educational activities and group sessions.

For at least 8 weeks, the psychologists will work regularly with the children and focus on improving children's communication skills, behaviour and interaction with others and coping mechanisms to overcome traumatic experiences.

Mid-term evaluation tracks progress of Sida-funded project “Support to Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a”

During October 2015 DRC organized an internal mid-term project evaluation of the Sida funded “Support to Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a” Project.

In order to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the project components: education and economic development, and the handover process itself, DRC Kosovo has welcomed Mr. Mikkel Nedergaard - M&E expert from DRC HQ in Copenhagen.

From 19-22 October 2015, Mr. Nedergaard conducted intensive consultations with all relevant project stakeholders, by facilitating focus group discussions on education and economic development components and individual interviews with relevant parties, such as the Deputy Mayor of Mitrovicë/a municipality, NGO “RADC” Director and the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian leader.  

At the end of field activities Mr. Nedergaard facilitated a brainstorming session with DRC program staff and Country Director, where the status of the Action Plan for handover process and its benchmarks have been reviewed in detail while reflecting on progress, identified gaps, obstacles and concerns of the stakeholders.  

200 children and youths from Roma Mahalla Mitrovicë/a take part in Let's clean Kosovo

On 22 May, DRC in cooperation with LNGOs Caritas Kosovo, RADC, Shukarno Talenti and the Municipality of Mitrovicë/a supported 200 children and youths from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community to clean their neighbourhood for "Let’s clean Kosovo". The cleanups are a part of the global civic movement Let’s Do It! World Cleanup 2015, which aims to solve the illegal dumping problem on a local and global level both short and long term – by engaging a large part of the society in a cleanup activity on an action day.

The Municipal Directorate of Culture, Youth and Sport sponsored gloves, masks and garbage bags to help the children clean their neighbourhood safely. The local Public Utility company Uniteti supported the event by picking up all the collected trash for disposal. Even local business owners hosted in the Social Business Incubator joined the cleanup.

For the younger children, the local Learning Centre also organized an exhibition of drawings, reading of poems and a fashion show showcasing creations made from recycled materials. The day was concluded by a performance of the local folklore dance group Shukarno Tallenti.

The children's environmental actions are supported through the Sida-funded project: Support to Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Community in Mitrovicë/a.

Representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology visit the Learning Centre in Roma Mahalla, Mitrovicë/a

On Tuesday, 28/04/2015, the regular meeting of the Education Working Group was organized at the Learning Centre in Roma Mahalla, Mitrovicë/a. Besides DRC local implementing partners, the meeting was also attended by Ms. Enesa Kadic – Head of Division for Communities at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MEST) and Ms. Aferdita Jaha - Officer for Intensive Teaching at MEST. Ms. Kadic appreciated the work of DRC and its local partners in the Learning Centre in Mitrovicë/a and confirmed that MEST is committed to support the education of minority communities living in Kosovo. Ms. Jaha explained certification procedures for beneficiaries of intensive teaching classes from Roma Mahalla and Dy Korriku/Sitnicko Naselje neighbourhoods and expressed the strong support of MEST for such projects.

This education initiative is supported by DRC through the Sida-funded project ‘Support for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a`.

Scholarships support women and girls to finish their education

With a private donation from Sweden, Danish Refugee Council provided scholarships for Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian women to enable them to complete secondary school as part of the Sida-funded project: ‘Supporting Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a`. 

In March 2013, DRC reached an agreement with five young women from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community from Roma Mahalla and 2 Korriku/Sitnicko Naselje to support them in their wish to continue their education.  Four of them were registered in the secondary economic school “Hasan Prishtina”, Mitrovicë/a South and one in the secondary economic school “Ekonomska Trgovinska Skola”, Mitrovica North.

After one year of intensive classes all students successfully finished their professional schooling and are now equipped with certificates/diplomas for completion of secondary school education within the fields of Law, Banking, Economics and Finance.