Supporting social entrepreneurship and promoting socio-economic empowerment in minority communities in Kosovo

Starting in April 2018, DRC has been implementing Supporting Social Entrepreneurship and Promoting Socio-economic Empowerment in Minority Communities in Kosovo, a project funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency represented by the Embassy of Sweden in Pristina.

The project builds upon the previous project funded by Sida and implemented by DRC (Support to Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian Communities in Mitrovicë/a), to continue to directly address the needs of the most economically and socially marginalized members of the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities in South Mitrovicë/Mitrovica. In addition, the traditional scope of the interventions funded by Sida has expanded to include a rural development component implemented in both South Mitrovicë/Mitrovica and Northern Kosovo, as well as Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities in other parts in Kosovo.

With this project, DRC continues to support the Kosovo Government in its effort to reduce the socio-economic isolation of minority communities and vulnerable host communities and to promote sustainable inter-ethnic livelihood support focused on addressing environmental and gender issues. The main focus of project activities is on:

Education, prioritising children, and girls in particular;
Livelihoods, with a focus on skills upgrading and support to businesses;
Gender equality, with specific measure to ensure the inclusion of women and girls;
Linkages to majority communities and local authorities;
Sustainability, with a view to enhance self-reliance by the end of the project.

Project implementation revolves around the following principles and landmarks:

Participation and inclusion of all target groups
Partnership with Kosovo central and local institutions, as well as with local NGOs
The Social Business Incubator and the Community Resource Centre, both located in Roma Mahalla/Mahala, South Mitrovicë/Mitrovica

The project is currently in its second year and will run until December 2021.