Poverty reduction through support
to start-up businesses and socio-economic integration of refugees
and IDPs
Project description - data and results
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COMPLETED PROJECTS
Donor: Swiss
Agency for development and cooperation, German
government through Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe,
Royal Netherlands
Embassy and British
Embassy in Belgrade  HELP’s client within “Poverty reduction through support to start-up businesses and socio-economic integration of refugees and IDPs” program, 2005  HELP’s client within “Poverty reduction through support to start-up businesses and socio-economic integration of refugees and IDPs” program, 2005 Target group of this programme is composed of socially vulnerable refugees, IDPs and local population, with sound business ideas and sufficient personal skills for starting or developing individual economic activities that would provide them with regular income. Furthermore, HELP offices, through local HELP Start-up Centers, organized vocational and business trainings for HELP clients with the aim to introduce the future entrepreneurs with challenges and risks of start-up and managing their own businesses, creating possibilities for spotting their own entrepreneurship potentials, initiating new and elaborating actual business ideas, learning the techniques of start-up business planning, informing and networking of training participants with corresponding institutions (banks, donors, funds, agencies…) As already mentioned, besides the purchase of equipment/material for the beneficiaries of the programme, out of funds collected from 15% repayment, HELP implemented municipal projects in close cooperation with municipal authorities and their representatives. Within the scope of this assistance, HELP supported several institutions thus improving socio-economic structure in each targeted municipality. Among 11 supported small scale projects there were: purchase of furniture for training hall of Business Incubator Center in Nis, equipment for Job Club in Sremska Mitrovica, supporting agriculture workshop for young people in Uzice and other similar activities. Main components: Significant support to the project implementation and follow-up of the project cycle was implemented through HELP Start-up Centers in each of the AORs: Stara Pazova, Kraljevo, Kragujevac and Nis. HELP Start-up Centers also organized beneficiaries’ visits to a number of activity-related fairs. Some of the most important tasks of HELP Start-up Centers include organization of various business and vocational trainings according to the client’s needs, assistance in individual business operations, assistance in business registration, networking clients and partners etc.
Letter to HELP sent by one of the clients from Sremska Mitrovica: “My name is Srdjan Ojkic, I am Serbian, orthodox religion, born on 11th of April 1979. in Slavonia district, where my ancestors lived for two centuries, mainly raising cattle and sheep. There, in my home village of Voćin under mountain of Papuk, until I was twelve years old I had a happy childhood. And today, looking from my parents’ perspective, if there was no war, we would have had a safe future. But in 1991. the misery and the war started. We had to leave my homeland and move to Serbia. After loosing everything we have ever had, we faced a cruel period of survival. While my father and older brother went to work doing a variety of physical jobs, I had to finish the primary school, and thanks to their commitment I managed to finish the secondary professional education. But finishing secondary school didn't give any results, because I couldn't find a job of any kind. So, I joined my brother and father in performing occasional jobs in the village... But one day, through a local TV station we found out about your organization - HELP and we were informed about its programme. We got the idea to apply for a sheep raising project because we were raising sheep before moving to Serbia, and we had substantial income out of it. We did apply, I felt a bit sceptical and it was strange to me that someone from so far away wanted to help me. But after we sent the application two great people who are working for HELP came to us and during the interview I realized that your intention was to help us. Our project was approved, you bought us sheep and a change happened in our home, meaning that I hope our work will give results in the future. Now I believe that in five years I will have a herd that will provide me with financial independence and safe future.
Municipal projects of HELP Belgrade, Kraljevo and Nis office HELP offices in Belgrade , Kraljevo and Nis completed the implementation of municipal projects in cooperation with municipal authorities and their representatives. HELP office in Belgrade , in cooperation with Sremska Mitrovica municipality, renovated a school in Calma, equipped the job club at the National service for employment, Sremska Mitrovica branch, as well giving a donation to the Health Center in Novi Banovci.
Within the municipal project in Kragujevac, secondary school for economics received a donation of 10 computers, one printer and a system for network. Primary schools ''Jovan Popovic'' and ''III kragujevacki bataljon'' was donated with chairs and blackboards.  Secondary school for economics Also, a purchase of vital functions monitor for hospital in Kraljevo has been completed , as well as the purchase of furniture and computers for secondary technical school in Pozega and the purchase of concrete blocks, barb wires and seedling for agriculture school in Užice. Furthermore, HELP offices through their HELP Start up centres organized business trainings for beneficiaries with the aim to introduce the future entrepreneurs with challenges and risks of start-up and managing their own businesses, creating possibilities for spotting their own entrepreneurship potentials, initiating new and elaborating actual business ideas, learning the techniques of start-up business planning, informing and business network of training with corresponding institutions (banks, donors, fonds, agencies…)  April 2005, Kraljevo. Fashion show "Aleksandar design" spring-summer 2005. designer Mirjana Ribac, HELP beneficiary  April, 2005, Kraljevo.The exhibition of Slavice Miloševic, HELP beneficiary
Beneficiaries of the “Poverty reduction through support to start-up businesses and socio-economic integration of refugees and IDPs” program, June 2005  Lava lamps-products of the “Poverty reduction through support to start-up businesses and socio-economic integration of refugees and IDPs” program beneficiary, June 2005  Business training for beneficiaries, Nis, December 2004.
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