RomaNet Co-operation Network
The project is supported by the Hungary-Slovakia Cross border Co-operation Program (HUSK-CBC http://www.husk-cbc.eu).
Project partners:
Carpathian Foundation-Hungary (HU)
Civil Alternative Initiative in the Slovak Republic (CAISR) (SK)
Roma Community Development Organization (RCDO) (HU)
The duration of the project: 1st February 2010- 28 February 2011
The Roma organizations have lower capacities than other non-Roma organizations, although their willingness of self-organization and preparedness is very important from the view of the development of the Roma communities. The deficiencies, competences of Roma organizations need to be further developed by different kind of trainings, seminars, joint actions and by best practice sharing.
Our project is focusing on the empowerment of staff of Roma NGOs by establishing and developing a strong, professional network among them for cross-border cooperation.
The development of the human resource potential of the Roma NGOs operating in the North-Hungarian Region in Hungary-Rimavská Sobota /Rožňava /Košice Region in Slovakia is absolutely essential for the social and economic development of the above mentioned region. As these Roma NGOs are working for the promotion of the local Roma communities. Our experiences show that there is no dialogue and joint actions in the target region for improving Roma communities’ life conditions by empowering Roma civic leaders and active stakeholders. Although a huge infrastructural and financial investment is also needed in order to treat this situation in this bordering region effectively, out standpoint is that the common statement, dialogue and cooperation of the stakeholders, decision makers from both side of the border could help to contribute to the situation.
The project objectives are:
- Improve the skills and capacities of representatives of approximately 10-20 Slovak and Hungarian Roma NGOs (30 members) by providing them different kind of trainings and seminars in the following topics: human rights and freedom protection, interest representation and public participation, project idea development, proposal writing, project implementation, communication, PR, fund raising and negotiation practices.
- Support more effective cooperation among Roma organizations on both sides of the border (by empowering them to create a network),
- Improve the absorption capacity of Roma organizations participating in the project,
- Enhance cooperation’s and common projects among representatives of Roma NGOs participating in the project;
- Develop project implementation capacities of the 5-10 involved Roma organizations from Slovakia and Hungary.
The main events of the project:
RomaNet Opening Conference
On 30th of April 2010 the opening conference was successfully organized with 50 participants in Rimavska Sobota. The conference was held both in Hungarian and Slovak languages. Boglárka Bata, the executive director of the Lead Partner (Carpathian Foundation– Hungary) promoted the project. After it, the presidents of the project partners (Mr. Antal Farkas– Roma Community Development Organization; Mr. Béla Kökény– Civil Alternative Initiative in the Slovak Republic) introduced their organizations and their tasks in the project. The 4 invited presenters, experts (PhD. Zsuzsanna Farkas– sociologist; PhD. Ladislav Fizík– president of the Slovakian Roma Parliament; Mr. László Teleki – Minister Plenipotentiary (HU); Mgr. Alena Horvathova — Minister Plenipotentiary (SK)) spoke about the situation of Roma minority in Hungary and in Slovakia and about the governmental policies, programs, achievements of the integration of the Roma communities.
RomaNet Trainings in Slovakia and Hungary
On 21-22nd of May the first Hungarian training was successfully implemented in Felsőtárkány. On 23rd of May 2010, in Felsőtárkány as the closing event of the Hungarian training a common seminar was organized with the participation of the Hungarian and the Slovakian stakeholders, trainers, and project partners . The participants got to know each other and each other’s organizations with the relevant contribution of the presenters, experts who led the trainings before (from both side of the borders), and by formulating multi-national (Hungarian-Slovakian) groups the participants had to collaborate and exchanged their experiences and learned from each other which was presented later on.The second Hungarian training and commmon forum was successfully implemented in Kisköre and Kokava Háj on the 16-17th and 24th of July, 2010. The third Hungarian training and commmon forum was successfully implemented in Mezőkövesd on the 7-9th of January, 2011.
Best Practice Visit
The best practice visit was organized and implemented with the participation of Hungarian and Slovakian stakeholders, trainers, and project partners, all together 41 participants in Sirok on 10th of September, 2010. Mrs Andrea Csiki, the director of the SIROMA Association presented the successful integration project on the abolition of gypsy colonies in Sirok to the Slovakian and Hungarian participants. This presented project was implemented by the SIROMA in cooperation with the Support the Poor Foundation (SZETA) Eger and the local self-government of Sirok.
On 28th February, 2011 the RomaNet Cooperation Network (supported by supported by the Hungary-Slovakia Cross border Co-operation Program) project has been closed successfully.
On 26-27th February a closing conference was successfully held in Eger. Boglárka Bata, executive director of the Carpathian Foundation - Hungary summarized the results of the projects, and its success. And after that the Hungarian and Slovakian trainers (Zsuzsanna Farkas, Melinda Vartik and Jana Luptáková, Ladislav Fizik) and the participants presented their experience.
The participants signed a Protocol of cooperation, which was expressed a willingness for future cooperation in the project and a long-term maintenance of a network.
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