18 families moved into the newly constructed social housing building in Raška with the support of the EU
Today, 23 families have been moved into the newly constructed building for social housing in Raška. The programme "European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion" (EU SHAI) provided fully furnished and equipped apartments for families belonging to the most vulnerable social groups.
The keys to the new apartments were handed over by the Mayor of Raška Nemanja Popović, the programme manager at the EU Delegation in Serbia Gerhard Salzer, the acting assistant minister of labour, employment, veteran and social affairs Tatjana Milenković, the state secretary at the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Rejhan Kurtović, and the representative of the UNOPS Serbia Multi-Country Office and the EU SHAI programme manager Dragana Milošević.
The event was opened by the Mayor of Raška who shared his satisfaction that today, as part of the project "We are building and working for an inclusive Raška - European Programme of Housing Support and Active Inclusion", 18 families that belong to the Roma community will move into fully equipped newly built buildings for social housing in the settlement of Kučevski lug.
"Forty-five people today will get a roof over their heads, but also the security to continue bravely in new adventures in life. When we talk about the inclusion of Roma men and women at the local level, we cannot expect their complete integration into the system of education, social and health care and employment without providing adequate housing conditions,'' Popović pointed out.
As he stated, through this program, inclusion measures were implemented thanks to which children are included in kindergarten, preparatory preschool program and basic education.
"Forty-five people today will get a roof over their heads, but also the security to continue bravely in new victories in life. When we talk about the inclusion of Roma men and women at the local level, we cannot expect their complete integration into the system of education, social and health care and employment without providing adequate housing conditions,'' Popović pointed out.
As he stated, through this programme, inclusion measures were implemented thanks to which children are included in kindergarten, preparatory preschool programme and elementary education.
"Beneficiaries received support for strengthening family capacity and exercising rights in the field of social and health care, driving training, as well as training for in-demand occupations. We owe special thanks for the cooperation and commitment to the project donor, the European Union, the competent ministries, as well as UNOPS, which implements the programme in Serbia,'' Popović concluded.
The representative of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Gerhard Salzer, pointed out that this is an emotional moment for everyone present, especially for those who will have a new home today. ''The "European Union Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion" programme is designed to improve the implementation of the social inclusion policy in Serbia and provide sustainable housing solutions for the most vulnerable population'', Salcer emphasised.
According to him, the European Union allocated 27 million euros for the implementation of this Programme, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) was chosen to implement it in Serbia.
"I would like to thank the team that dedicatedly implements the project, the Municipality of Raška, the Centre for Social Welfare in Raška and all other partners because the synergy that exists between them enables the achievement of important results for all beneficiaries and vulnerable groups in Raška" - Salzer pointed out.
The donation of the European Union for the implementation of the project in Raška amounts to 823,000 euros, and it will include a total of 27 families who will receive housing and support in active inclusion.
Tatjana Milenković, acting assistant minister for labour, employment, veterans and social affairs, wished the beneficiaries luck in their new beginning. "This and every subsequent similar project is a confirmation of good state policy. I hope the families moving in today take advantage of this opportunity for a fresh start. I am especially glad that today I see many young people who are starting a new path'' - Milenković emphasised.
State Secretary in the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Rejhan Kurtović pointed out that the Government of the Republic of Serbia leads a responsible policy in all sectors of society. "Among other things, we work together to improve and include all marginalised groups in all social spheres in the Republic of Serbia. This is very important because, with appropriate housing solutions, we ensure the future and prosperity of the most vulnerable groups of the population," Kurtović said.
He thanked all donors and partners, representatives of ministries, local self-government and civil society organisations without whom, as he said, it would not have been possible to realise all that was achieved through this Programme.
"With the help of this project, the most important prerequisites for the start of a new life and prosperity of members of vulnerable groups have been created, and with that, an incentive for a series of activities and measures that contribute to their integration into the normal life flows of our community," Kurtović concluded.
Dragana Milošević, the representative of the UNOPS Serbia Multi-Country Office, which implements the programme "EU Support to Social Housing and Active Inclusion'', thanked everyone for the cooperation that led to the achievement of excellent and important results. "UNOPS works all over the world. Its mission is to help people build a better life and countries to achieve peace and sustainable development. I believe that we all showed together that we were committed to that goal and that's how we got the results,'' Milošević pointed out.
She especially addressed the families who are moving into new homes today. "Dear families, thank you for your patience. We all know what this looked like about two and a half years ago when we started talking about building such beautiful buildings on this slope. I wish from the bottom of my heart that you progress even more - that your children go to school regularly, that you get a job, that everything you received as support in this Programme becomes even better'' - Milošević said.
