Visit to beneficiaries who have received grants for self-employment within the project Reintegration – support for sustainable (re) integration of returnees in Serbia

On Wednesday and Thursday, April 14, 2021, and on April 15, 2021, representatives of the city of Novi Pazar, municipalities of Tutin and Sjenica, together with representatives of SEDA and the project team visited beneficiaries in these three cities, who are winners of equipment worth up to 3,000 euros to start their own business.

The project “Reintegration – Support to Sustainable (Re) Integration of Returnees in Serbia” covered primarily persons from the returnee population and awarded 45 grants for self-employment, while 145 persons underwent intensive business training, and a total of 90 grants are planned.

45 companies – business initiatives is an important result for the region because it represents an opportunity for self-employment of both these people and a larger number of unemployed who through these newly opened businesses will have the opportunity to get a job and earn a stable income for their families.

In Novi Pazar, the project “Reintegration” opened companies for cleaning services, hairdressing salons, car washes, carpentry workshops, and numerous other activities, and in the municipalities of Tutin and Sjenica opened a laundry for carpet washing, tailoring shops, video services with additional support and agricultural development.

A great contribution to self-employment was provided by financing the project with the funds of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ with the excellent cooperation of the city of Novi Pazar, Tutin and Sjenica municipalities, SEDA Regional Development Agency, Merhamet Sandzak, ASB Serbia and Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC) and implementers of the project.

In addition to open companies and business initiatives, this project has so far gathered more than 1,426 children and young people through numerous workshops in good neighborly clubs opened in these three cities.

The project lasts until the end of 2021, and a call for additional training and retraining is currently underway – those interested can find more information on the websites of SEDA, the city of Novi Pazar, and municipalities, as well as the websites of IDC and ASB.

The project with a total value of 1,226,000 euros was financed with the funds of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development BMZ until the end of 2021.

The project holder is ASB Serbia (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund), the project implementer is Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC), and the project partners are the city of Novi Pazar, Sjenica municipality, Tutin municipality, in partnership with the Sandzak Regional Development Agency – SEDA and the Muslim Humanitarian association “Merhamet – Sandzak”.