Boychinovsti
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The Municipality of Boychinovtsi is a small municipality in the Northwest of Bulgaria. It is one of the municipalities in Montana administrative region and includes 13 settlements – Boychinovtci, Beli Breg, Beli Brod, Vladimirovo, Gromshin, Erden, Kobilyak, Lehchovo, Madan, Marchevo, Ohrid, Pali Lula and Portitovtci. The village of Boychinovtci is the administrative center of the municipality.
The Roma population is, according to the official data, 11% of the entire population in the municipality. Based on the latest survey, they number 4.500 persons (50% of the total population). They live in separate neighborhoods and are concentrated in 8 settlements: Boychinovtci, Portitovtci, Vladimirovo, Madan, Gromshin, Lehchovo, Marchevo and Erden.
Some of the main issues they face are:
- - Extremely high unemployment rates - over 90%
- - The majority of the Roma is very poor
- - Lack of infrastructure/ very bad condition in the Roma neighborhoods
- - Lack of playgrounds and sports facilities for the children and youth
- - Old facilities and old furniture and equipment in kindergartens and schools
- - Very low number of Roma community members who have good education
- - There is a tendency for a growing demographic crisis
The ROMACT Process
Boychinovsti municipality joined the ROMACT program in August 2016 with the signature of the letter of commitment . A Taskforce for Roma inclusion was created in October 2016. In February 2017 Boychinovtsi municipality adopted a Municipal Action Plan for Roma Integration 2017-2020.
The Community Action Group (CAG) identified some of the short/medium/long-term problems:
| Solutions to identified problems |
|---|
| On-going renovation of street lights |
| Employing Roma in national temporary employment programs |
| Extend the project “Warm lunch” till the end of 2019 |
| Additional 20 garbage containers |
| Two junior experts on ethic and integration issues |
| Renovation of the kindergarten in Lehchevo village |
| Donation campaign - clothes and food - for 200 families in need |
| Hiring 2 health mediators |
| Cleaning of part of the drain system in Lehchevo village |
The Municipality benefited of ROMACT expertise for the following project :
* "Concept of municipality Borovan for social inclusion of vulnerable groups" (adopted) and the project itself "Integrated approach to ensure the permanent integration of marginalised communities in Boychinovtsi municipality" - OPHRD and OPSESG
Budget : 454 931 €
Status : approved
Patronage care for the elderly and the disabled "- №: BG05M9OP001-2.040-0123- ESF-
Budget : 89 927 €
Status : approved
Trainings provided by ROMACT experts :
Community Action Groups (CAG):
* Awareness campaign on stereotypes, prejudices, discrimination and racism;
* European and national institutions and organizations dealing with Roma issues;
* Advocacy, participation and understanding of local governance;
* Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of Municipal Action Plan for Roma Integration /JAP;
* Sustainability of CAG and participation;
* Addressing drug delivery and use in the Roma neighbourhoods.
Local Authorities (LA):
* Presentation of available funding opportunities;
* Understanding policy-making on Roma issues and planning;
* Capacity building for social inclusion of marginalised groups at local level;
* Participation in a public consultation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan of Bulgaria;
* Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of Municipal Action Plan for Roma Integration /JAP.
LA and CAG :
* Development and implementation of partnerships for prevention and intervention of drugs use in Roma communities.
* Grant procedure for financial assistance through the selection of project proposals BG05M2OP001-3.019 "SUPPORT FOR VULNERABLE GROUPS FOR ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION”;
* Presentation of Erasmus+ Program - KA1 Learning Mobility for Individuals; KA2 Cooperation between Organizations and Institutions.
Taskforce :
* Partnership management for planning and implementation of municipal policies for social inclusion.
The following measures to solve problems in Roma community were taken :
* Two junior experts on ethic and integration issues appointed in Lehchevo and Vladimirovo village;
* Campaign for prophylactic examinations of Roma without health insurance;
* Set up of a new heater in kindergarten Madan;
* Kindergarten renovation in Lehchevo village;
* Renovation of the fence and the playground of the kindergarten in Vladimirovo village;
* Warm lunch for pupils;
* Renovation of the youth club in Lehchevo village;
* Drains Cleaning in Roma community and rehabilitation of the street lighting;
* Cleaning of the irregular dumpsite in Gromshin village;
* Provision of 20 garbage containers in 10 villages;
* Employment of 98 Roma for public work;
* Employment of 45 young Roma for public work;
* Campaign against drop-out;
* Round table discussions organized with the occasion of International Roma Day.