Sungurlare
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The Municipality of Sungurlare is located in the southeastern part of Bulgaria and is included in the administrative-territorial boundaries of the Bourgas region. It includes a total of 28 settlements, the administrative center being Sungurlare. Larger settlements with more than 800 people are the villages of Manolich, Saedinenie and Lozarevo. A large part of the territory is sparsely populated.
According to the census of the 2011, the ethnic composition is: Bulgarians 6.193 (49.31%), Turks 3.553 (28.29%), Roma 929 (7.39%). The total population numbers 12.559 people.
The Roma population in the municipality lives mainly in four settlements: Chubra - 270 people, Lozarevo - 161, Valchin - 117 and Sungurlare - 156 people. The total number of Roma in the municipality is about 4.000, according to unofficial municipal data. Around 929 identified themselves as Roma, the rest prefer to be called Millet, Turks or Bulgarians.
The poverty risk of the population is rated to be 45,9 % . 85 families receive monthly benefits from the local social services; 90% of them are Roma families. 500 persons are registered as unemployed; 300 of them are Roma.
The school dropout is high, the main reasons are related to the economic situation (low family income, unemployed parents), social reasons (parental disinterest, poor living conditions), personal reasons (lack of motivation to learn, negative attitude towards school, the language barrier etc.). Early marriages are no exception in Sungurlare Municipality. Despite the fact that in recent years their number decreased, it has also been one of the reasons for dropping out of school, especially among girls aged 14-16.
The majority of housing districts with predominantly Roma population are without sewerage. All dwellings are supplied with water, connected to the electricity grid and have organized waste disposal.
The ROMACT Process
Sungurlare municipality joined the ROMACT program in October 2017 with the letter of agreement.
A Community Action Group (CAG) was created in November 2017 and finalised the List of Priorities by June 2018, following a training on data collection via community research and needs assessment.
In December 2017, the Taskforce for Roma Inclusion was created. In July 2018, the Municipal Action Plan for Roma Inclusion (MAPRI) was updated base on CAG list of priorities and adopted by the Local Council.
On 1 February 2019, CAG was registered as an NGO.
The Municipality benefited of ROMACT expertise for the following project :
* Early child development opportunities for Roma children from Sungurlare” - Funded by the OPHRD Transnational cooperation.
Budget : 98 273 euros
Status : approved
* Europe for minorities- Youth worked Mobility- Funded by ERASMUS.
Status : rejected
* Reducing community pressure for early marriages- Funded by ERASMUS+.
Status : rejected
* “Let’s keep traditions in our hearts “ - Funded by the Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area (FM of EEA).
Status : rejected
* "Fair chances for better future of Roma In Sungulare and Antonovo municipalities", Funded by the FM of EEA 2014-2021.
Status : rejected
* To improve the quality of life of vulnarable children and their parents through the provision of integrated health and social services, advisory support and increasing the competences of parents.
Budget : 177 146 euros
Status : approved
* For a good future for the children of Rakovski municipality - Funded by the European Social Fund +.
Budget : 200 000€
Status : approved
* BG05SFPR002 – 2.003 - 0152, To improve the quality of life of the vulnarable children and their parents through the provision of integrated health and social services, advisory support and increasing the competences of parents - Funded by the European Social Fund +.
Budget : 177 146€
Status : approved
* BG-RRP-1.007-0229 Creation of conditions for equal access to education by building a favorable, inclusive, innovative, energy-efficient, supportive and motivating educational environment - Funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Status : rejected
* Interventions on existing school buildings for "Nikola Y. Vaptsarov" Secondary School, Drenovets village, BG-RRP-1.007-0166 - Funded by the NRRP.
Budget : 1 190 986€
Status : on reserve list
* "The new challenges for game pedagogy in a multicultural environment" (KA122-SCH-0C7ED6A8) - Funded by the HRD Program 21-27.
Budget : 13 900€
Status : approved
* “Toddlers with equal rights and eco hearts” (КА122-ШХ-2Б713900) - Funded by the HRD Program 21-27.
Budget : 13 900€
Status : approved
Trainings provided by ROMACT experts :
Community Action Groups (CAG):
* Data collection and preparation of the Community needs assessment;
* Communication as an advocacy tool;
* Planning, implementation and monitoring of the Municipal Action Plan for Roma Integration;
* Preparation and adoption of a municipal budget;
* Establishment of an NGO;
* Advocating with Local Authorities for addressing social exclusion and marginalization;
* Combating discrimination;
* Addressing drug delivery and use in the Roma neighbourhoods;
* Data collection and preparation of the Community needs assessment;
* Antidiscrimination;
* Project planning and management;
* Harmonizing activizm with professionalism;
* Preparation for a joint meeting with LA for planning the implementation of short&medium-term activities;
* Planning, implementation and monitoring of a municipal project for social inclusion;
* Setting up neighborhood councils as a form of civic participation in the local political process. Increasing the capacity of the CAG to become involved in these structures.
Local Authorities (LA):
* Available funding opportunities;
* Support for implementation of Sungulare's projects;
* Information on procedure BG05SFPR002-2.003: “Future for the children” in Bulgaria;
* Partnership management for planning and implementation of municipal policies for social inclusion;
* Approaches for working with and within Roma community. Working in intercultural environment;
* Participation in a public consultation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan of Bulgaria;
* Monitoring&evaluation as processes contributing to the efficiency and effectiveness of public policies;
* Planning quality social inclusion projects;
* Drafting project idea & establish partnership under transnational cooperation;
* Introducing planning and implementation of a community survey;
LA and CAG :
* Planning the implementation of short and medium-term activities;
* Planning quality social inclusion projects;
* ROMACT approach for local facilitators;
* Increasing the sensitivity to hate speech and prejudice against the Roma in the planning and implementation of inclusive policies;
* Mainstreaming priorities of the vulnerable Roma groups in MIDP
Taskforce :
* Making the most from the Integrated Territorial Investments and Community Led Local Development for planning and implementing the municipal plans for social inclusion;
* National programs 2021 - 2027 funded by the EU structural and cohesion funds in support of municipal policies for social inclusion
ROMACT implementation finished in September 2019.
ROMACT Small Grants Scheme :
ROMACT offers small grants scheme to support the efforts of the municipalities and Community Action Groups to respond together to the needs of the most vulnerable and to multiply the good practices across ROMACT municipalities.
Under the scheme of small grants, the following project was supported by ROMACT during November 2020 – March 2021:
Create a supporting environment for Roma youth – Association RO-MAG in Sungurlare
ROMACT supported the association with 4934 € to create a welcoming and supporting place where young people can safely gather to discuss community and youth issues, exchange ideas, plan and organize activities such as sport events or entertainment. Two separate rooms were spared in the municipality for the youth club. The procurement of tables, chairs, a laptop and a sound system enabled young people to be creative and interactive in their gatherings or in planning activities. This project benefitted around 600 young Roma people through providing an inclusive environment in the rural villages of Grozden and Slavyantsi.