Beneficiaries of the Community Stabilization Project selected

DRC is happy to announce that the selection process for support under the Community Stabilization Project has now concluded. 38 beneficiaries from 5 municipalities have been approved and will receive grants, field-focused technical advice and business management training to support their new or existing businesses. The list of beneficiaries is available here. DRC is now in the process of contacting the beneficiaries and gathering information on the technical requirements of inputs requested under the grants. Once this stage is finalized, the tender process will begin.

In addition, the project supports small-scale community projects that promote inter-ethnic cooperation and support reducing the social isolation of minority returnee and remainee families. 3 projects have been selected, including:

• The rehabilitation of the park and playground of the local Primary School in Dobrushë/a, Istog/Istok

• The building of a rockslide protection wall in Landovicë/Landovica, Prizren

• The rehabilitation of a cobblestone road in Sevce, Shtërpc/Štrpce

The Municipalities of Istog/Istok, Prizren and Shtërpc/Štrpce will co-fund the projects to benefit the local community in their respective municipalities.

The Community and Stabilization Project is funded by the British Embassy in Kosovo and the Ministry for Communities and Returns.

 

The Ministry for Communities and Return steps up efforts to help returnee families build a sustainable future in Kosovo

The Ministry of Communities and Return pledges financial support in the amount of 115,000 EUR to aid beneficiary families of the Reintegration and Community Stabilization in Kosovo project funded by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) and implemented by DRC Kosovo.

On 5 March, Minister for Communities and Return Dalibor Jevtic and  DRC Country Representative Kristen Stec signed a new agreement which strengthens the established cooperation between MCR and DRC under the framework of the BPRM-funded project Reintegration and Community Stabilization in Kosovo.

DRC welcomes the continued support provided by MCR to enable the reintegration of spontaneous and assisted returnees to Kosovo. MCR’s commitment will secure the provision of needs-based harmonized return packages and income generation grants to families returned from displacement.  For beneficiaries like the Dimic family, such support makes a vital contribution to their successful reintegration. The Dimic family and their five children returned to Kosovo in June 2013. Through the BPRM project, DRC was able to repair the family’s house in Strazhë/Straža village, Novobërdë/Novobrdo municipality and provide food and non-food items and furniture. Given the scarcity of employment where they live, the family depends on agriculture to make a living. With their income-generation grant, the family therefore added livestock to their stable and once conditions allow, they will start cultivating their land again.

MCR’s financial contribution will enable additional beneficiary families to receive similar support in their effort to build sustainable livelihoods in Kosovo.

The Dimic family in front of their stable

The BPRM-funded project Reintegration and Community Stabilization in Kosovo will support at least 26 families returning to Kosovo from Serbia and their wider communities. DRC, in partnership with LNGO Center for Peace and Tolerance, will employ an integrated response to returns and reintegration.

Bridging the learning gap - The Learning Centre, Roma Mahalla Mitrovicë/a Booklet 2013

For the past three years, the Learning Centre has provided kindergarten, pre-school and homework support classes to the growing number of children and youth in Roma Mahalla.

Read more about the Centre's work or download the Booklet in English, Albanian or Serbian below:

 

Since 2009, Danish Refugee Council has supported its former implementing partner Caritas and current partner Roma and Ashkalia Documentation Center (RADC) to run the Learning Centre located in Roma Mahalla, Mitrovicë/a. The Centre is currently funded solely by Sida as part of the Community Development component of the DRC Kosovo Stabilisation of Roma, Ashkalia and Egyptian Communities Project in Roma Mahalla Mitrovicë/a.

Click the caption to download the Booklet:

Qendra Mësimore

Obrazovni Centar

Learning Centre

Austrian Development Agency supports returnee families in Kosovo

On 15 September 2013, Danish Refugee Council (DRC) began implementing a one-year BPRM-funded project that will support at least 26 families returning to Kosovo from Serbia and their wider communities.

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Christian Geosits, Head of ADA Office, Kosovo and Kristen Stec, DRC Country Representative sign agreement

DRC is happy to announce that the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of the Austrian Development Cooperation, will support the return and reintegration of returnee families.

With this contribution from ADA, DRC will be able to provide three families that will be returned this year with income generation grants and needs-based harmonized return packages in line with MCR’s guidelines on return.

The families are in the process of being selected. Minor shelter repairs for these families should start in October 2013 and be finalized in November 2013.

DRC, in partnership with LNGO Center for Peace and Tolerance, will employ an integrated response to returns and reintegration. The project activities are divided into three complementary and inter-related components that will address the most important socio-economic reintegration needs and aim to reduce isolation of returnees using a rapid and flexible approach. The project is implemented in partnership with the Ministry for Communities and Return and respective municipalities. DRC signed a MoU with MCR on 25 September 2013 that outlines the cooperation.

Read more about the Reintegration and Community Stabilization in Kosovo Project 

DRC starts Community Stabilization Project

From 1 June 2013, DRC will provide sustainable socio-economic support for at least 20 minority businesses and implement at least 2 projects to improve relations between inter-ethnic communities.

Co-financed by the British Embassy and the Ministry for Community and Return, the 9-month Community Stabilization project will support the Kosovo government’s IDP returns programme and promote integration and reconciliation between ethnic communities in northern Kosovo.

Evidence shows that some of the main barriers to the stabilization of minority communities in Kosovo are a lack of viable livelihood options, especially in rural areas, and economic isolation.

In addition, returnees and minorities face social isolation due to limited contact and connections with the majority populations, which can further increase inter-ethnic tensions.

Therefore the project is designed to combat both economic and social isolation in close cooperation with central and local authorities.

The project will:

• Support at least 20 minority small business start-ups, producers, processors and traders with economic grants and start-up assistance to improve their livelihoods.

• Implement at least 2 small scale community projects to improve inter-ethnic contact and relationships.

The project design is based on DRC’s many years of experience in supporting minority community stability in Kosovo. Moreover, DRC has proven experience in creating synergies between such economic interventions and social components in its community stabilization projects.

Using the lessons learned from previous stabilization interventions, DRC will go beyond simply providing fixed amounts of material assistance packages to beneficiaries. Interventions will be strategic and designed together with beneficiaries, local communities and/or relevant authorities. Special focus will be placed on providing technical assistance and business advisory support, including support on business registration as needed.

Furthermore, priority will be given to businesses that can provide benefits to the wider community, not just the individual business (i.e. supporting short-term/long-term employment opportunities to members to the community).

The proposed economic and social capacity building and inter-ethnic stabilization components will prepare returnee and minority communities and businesses to better withstand potential tensions or adverse economic conditions in the future.