The local government of Shumen starts work on the project “Interaction with the community as a factor for better future and successful integration,” which is implemented in the framework of ZOV (Health and Education for All) Programme.

Gerassim Greassimov, National Programme Officer at the Swiss Embassy, Snezhana Smilovska from National Coordination Unit at the Council of Ministers and Irina Faion, Team Leader of ZOV Programme attended the press conference about the project. Deputy Mayor of Shumen Svetlana Markova greeted the participant at the event.

Project manager Hristina Baeva explained in a press conference: “The objective is, through an aggregate of measures and activities undertaken in the areas of education, healthcare and culture, to improve the quality of life and to create conditions for the integration and social inclusion of Roma and other vulnerable groups living in three neighbourhoods in Shumen – Mlada Gvardia, Everest, Vitosha, and in the neighbouring village Ivanski.”

A new group for children aged between three and six years will be organized in the refurbished building of kindergarten “Proletna Daga”. The official guests visited the kindergarten where the project activities will be soon starting.

An educational centre will function in primary School “Hristo Botev” in village Ivanski, where diverse extracurricular events will be organized: information on the topics of health awareness, celebrations, cultural events and meetings with parents. The objective is to limit the number of children from the vulnerable groups who drop out from school.

Medical consulting rooms for internal diseases, obstetrics and gynaecology and children’s diseases will be organized in the Health Service Facility and in Primary School “Hristo Botev” in village Ivanski. In this way, a larger number of women, young mothers and pregnant women will be able to see the doctor for medical examinations and immunizations for their children.

The educational and health integration of Roma implemented through a diversity of initiatives in Mlada Gvardia, Everest and Vitosha neighbourhoods in Shumen and in village Ivanski will be supported by the work of three health mediators and three teacher assistants.

The total value of the project is 723 656 BGN, out of which 533 682 are Swiss co-funding under the Bulgarian-Swiss Cooperation Programme. Shumen local government co-funds the programme with 25 500 BGN, which represents 10% of the total amount allotted for infrastructure activities.

For this project, the local government of Shumen partners with: University of Shumen “Episkop Konstantin Preslavski,” Kindergarten “Proletna Daga,” Primary School “Hristo Botev” in village Ivanski, “Diagnostic and Consulting Centre 1 – Shumen” EOOD, the “Family and Consulting Centre” and the Roma community.

The project will be completed by the end of April 2019.

An information happening about the benefits of education was organized today in Nadezhda, the Roma neighbourhood in the town of Sliven.

Starting at the Center for administrative services, the procession went through several streets of the Roma neighborhood. Karandila band, artists dressed in costumes of popular cartoon characters and volunteers joined the event. Talks and lectures about the need of education for the little children were held at key locations of the district. Information materials were distributed to the inhabitants of Nadezhda.

"This is our part of the long way into integration of Roma we have to walk through the neighborhood”, said Stela Kostova from the Association "Roma Academy for Culture and Education" (RACO). The association organized the event with the support of the Municipality of Sliven.
„Let’s hope that this happening will achieve its goal the inhabitants of Nadezhda neighbourhood are better informed and aware about the benefits of education”, said Deputy Mayor Stoyan Markov, team leader of the project in Sliven under the ZOV Programme, Swiss support for the social inclusion of Roma and other vulnerable groups. “Furthermore, the parents will be motivated to enroll their children in kindergarten and school’.
“We are happy that project provides the opportunity to build a kindergarten and a Culture center in Nadezhda neighbourhood “, said Deputy Mayor Pepa Chilikova.

Mayor of Nadezhda neighbourhood  Diana Delcheva and representatives of RACO, “Medics of the World” Association – Sliven Branch and “Roma Health” Foundation – Sliven attended the event.

This is the second edition of the awareness happening in Nadezhda neighbourhood within the project of ZOV Programme. Over 1,000 inhabitants attended the first happening on 1 April 2016.