VBF – A better future for women

The overall objective of the project is to promote an active role for women from disadvantaged backgrounds – rural and small towns with predominantly agrarian economies, women belonging to ethnic minorities – by supporting them in starting and managing small businesses and community activities or projects.

The role of RSDF

As a partner, the major role of RSDF was to develop a diagnostic analysis on the development potential of female entrepreneurship and to carry out a comprehensive information and facilitation campaign at the level of local communities. In specific terms, among the tasks of RSDF were activities such as:
– selection of intervention areas, identification of social entrepreneurs of resource persons and training needs, creation of joint groups for equal opportunities and the network of resource persons, identification of training needs and assistance of potential beneficiaries.

Period – 2008-2011

General objectives

• promoting an active role for women from disadvantaged backgrounds
• supporting women in starting and managing small businesses and community projects

Beneficiaries
– rural communities and small towns (less than 20,000 inhabitants)

Project value: – 16.7 million lei

Donors – European Social Fund

Expected results

• 700 women will complete training programs
• 100 business projects and assisted care projects
• 50 small businesses and community projects ready to start their activities
•  100 joint groups for equal functional opportunities,
• national network/association of women from disadvantaged backgrounds established

 Impact

The project will help to remove gender prejudices and stereotypes, to form an entrepreneurial culture among women, as well as to reduce the association deficit in rural and small towns RSDF won this project together with Depro Innovation (as an applicant), the Center for Economic Education and Development and the Amfar Galicia Association.

 

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Combating discrimination and increasing the employment potential of women in rural areas

 

The project aims to promote the rights of women and families, especially in rural areas. This project will provide information, support, and counseling services to ensure a balanced socio-economic participation of women in the community.

The general objective of the project is to contribute to stimulating and increasing the employment rate of the rural female population, through integrated actions aimed at reducing inequality of opportunity and increasing access to employment.

 

Specific objectives

1. Combating gender stereotypes and attracting women to the labor market – through information and awareness actions to combat gender stereotypes, especially those who support the idea that paid work is specific to men and work in the home is specific to women.

2. Improving the employment capacity of women in rural areas by increasing the level of training – qualification/retraining and guidance of women in rural areas in order to increase their chances for a better place in the labor market.

The role of RSDF

As a partner, the major role of RSDF was to develop a diagnostic analysis of the access of women from rural areas to the labor market. In specific terms, the responsibilities of RSDF were:

• compiling a catalog of good practices, by conducting a comparative analysis of plans and practices developed in rural areas of the EU to increase the employment rate of the female population.
• formulating recommendations for delimiting the areas of intervention, based on a detailed analysis in regional and territorial profile
• assessing the constraints and opportunities for (re) insertion on the labor market, as well as the specific needs of professional development by conducting quantitative-qualitative research in rural communities in the potential areas of intervention
• identification of alternatives and directions for configuration and operation of regional support centers to be established within the project.

Period: 2010-2012

Beneficiaries: rural communities from 4 development regions

Project value: – 17.7 million lei

Donors: European Social Fund

Partners

• Association of Women and Families in Rural Areas – beneficiary of funding,
• Romanian Social Development Fund (RSDF) – partner,
• Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising Agency Pubilcitate SRL- partner
• Agrarian Association of Young Farmers of Almeria (Spain) – ASAJA ALMERIA – transnational partner.

 

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PGF – Project Generation Facility

 

PGF is a component of the Making the Most of EU funding for Roma inclusion (MtM) initiative.

The aim of the PGF Romania project for the first year was to contribute to sustainable and equitable development of Roma communities in Romania and to combat exclusion by providing integrated assistance (financial and technical) for developing the capacities of Roma community members to compete for structural funds.

Period: October 2009 – September 2010. The project was extended until March 31, 2011 (year I)

The role of RSDF

As a partner, the role of FRDS was to provide expertise and technical assistance to local authorities for the development of projects financed by structural funds. Among the responsibilities was the elaboration of an analysis on the support needs at the level of local authorities regarding access to European funds for Roma communities, integrated parts of the facilitation process such as informing communities, the involvement of Roma people belonging to communities facilitated in developing applications. financing in order to increase the absorption capacities of the structural funds.

Objectives

• Supporting the Roma communities in Romania for sustainable and equitable development;
• Combating exclusion by providing integrated assistance, in order to develop the capacity of members of Roma communities to compete for EU structural funds.

Beneficiaries: Roma communities in rural areas or small towns with low access to structural funds.

The value of the project: 326,450 euros

Donors: Open Society Institute; Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiatives

Results for year 1:

– At least 50 Roma communities informed at the national level through community facilitators about PGF services

– At least 10 local development strategies under development/improvement

– 25 Roma communities selected for community facilitation

– At least 40 NGOs informed about PGF services

– 15 Roma representatives trained to act as local development agents

– At least 4 training sessions with resource persons from Roma communities (NGOs, LPA representatives) in the country, in total at least 60 people trained in ESF project management and organizational development

– At least 5 projects developed and prepared to be submitted for financing from structural funds

Impact

By promoting a large-scale information campaign, investing in human resources, and encouraging cooperation between Roma and non-Roma, the project creates the conditions for other development initiatives. Success in some communities will undoubtedly encourage Roma from (not directly targeted) regions to apply for EU funds and / or try to find alternative solutions to poverty and social exclusion. The activities carried out in the first year certainly help to implement the project in the second year.

PGF is implemented by the consortium formed by the Foundation for the Development of Civil Society, the Romanian Fund for Social Development, and the Association Institute for Public Policies.

Results

• 138 communities facilitated
• 606 small infrastructure works carried out in rural areas:
• 129 social services provided
• 184 centers for processing raw materials in rural areas that act as poles of local development
• 16 innovative projects

Benefits (cumulative)

• 1,500 km of rehabilitated roads that improve access to school, public services, markets, etc.
• 33,614 people who benefit from drinking water and better hygiene conditions
• 24 community centers where cultural, social, interethnic activities take place
• 180 raw material processing centers in rural areas that act as poles of local development
• 2,138 disadvantaged children who benefit from alternative educational services
• 855 dependent elderly people who are cared for at home or in community centers
• 1,244 persons benefiting from the services of temporary shelters
• 2628 members of funded communities trained in project management (members of project management committees).

Impact

The results of the external evaluations made to the project (carried out by Metromedia Transilvania in 2000 and 2006 and Gallup International Organization in 2004) showed, among others, the following:
– both ordinary villagers and local leaders were, in their vast majority (over 80%) of the opinion that “the people of the village were in great need of the project”, that it “influenced the life of the community” and that “the results many people in the village benefited him “;
– the degree of trust in the authorities and in the other members of the community has increased (in the financed communities).

The success of this project on a national scale has led to the adoption of the model in pre-accession programs, but also to its reproduction in some World Bank projects initiated after 2001. Last but not least, many local and regional institutions and organizations have borrowed. practices and tools successfully experienced through this local development project.