Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance
Amalipe Center is a leading Roma organization working for the equal integration of Roma into Bulgarian society. The organization plays a central role in the organization of the Roma civilian movement and implements advocacy activities for the integration of Roma into state institutions. The mission of Amalipe Center is to stimulate the empowerment of the Roma community in Bulgaria for its active participation and equal access to the resources and processes of development, with a focus on access to quality education, quality health care and social services;
A) Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance Amalipe is an organization with proven experience in working with the Roma community. The activity started with the collection of Roma tales, songs and legends as well as information and analysis of the different Roma groups.
This experience requires the inclusion of the Amalipe Center as a partner in the project. The knowledge and good contact with the ethnic groups of the Veliko Tarnovo district theory would contribute to the successful realization of the project activities.
B) The partner will engage in activities related to the study of specific ethnic groups and the collection of songs, fairy tales, legends and photographs from pre-selected settlements to be included in the electronic archive of the library.
C) For the success of the project activities we will contribute to the good contacts with the Roma groups on the territory of the region and the knowledge of their specificity. An important prerequisite is our experience in field work, as well as the fact that we have volunteers to carry out the research activity.
D) To achieve the objectives of the project, we will contribute by helping to gather information for as many ethnic groups as possible. All ethnicities that inhabit the area will be represented. This will enrich the electronic database of the library. This will develop intercultural dialogue. A varied and rich picture of the traditions, customs, history and culture of the local population will be created in the spirit of a modernly digitized society.
Project 1 (project name): Promoting fieldwork in traditional and marginalized groups of the Roma community
2011-2013
The main objective of the project is to empower young people and women from marginalized groups of the Roma community to fight harmful patriarchal practices and achieve equality in the community. This was done by strengthening the fieldwork at the local level by introducing the position of Moderator in the community and formation of Community Development Centers by developing informal mechanisms for community support through building cooperation with existing prevention and protection institutions.
Within the framework of the project, community development centers were set up in 6 municipalities. 12 community moderators work on them. Women's groups, youth groups and leadership groups are functioning in the centers. Through their activities, many results have been achieved:
• 54 children and young people reintegrated into school.
• 122 cases of prevention of drop-out.
• 60 children, following the intervention of the moderators, attend a preparatory group for school preparation.
• 90 children enrolled in a children's institution.
• Supporting 12 young people to continue their education at HEI.
• Prevented 4 cases of abandonment of children in social institutions.
• 28 cases of early marriages and others were successfully resolved.
The Center's activities are explicitly referred to as a successful practice in the EU Roma Framework Strategy Assessment Report published by the European Commission on 4 April 2014
Project 2 (project name): Reduction of dropout of Roma students
2010-2013
The project is a three-year program aimed at preventing the drop-out of Roma children in compulsory education. Project activities are also aimed at addressing the high number of absenteeism, low school success, the relatively small percentage of Roma continuing their education in secondary schools (high schools), the non-participation of Roma parents in school life and school management structures. The project builds on the rich experience of Amalipe Center in introducing the Roma Folklore Script in hundreds of schools from all over Bulgaria.
Within the project, a significant reduction in the dropout of Roma children was achieved - from 2.6% to 0.48%. More than 4,000 students studied the Roma Folklore. There were 2 schooling aids "Stories near the Fireplace" (1-4 class) and "Telling Roads" (5-8 grade), 2 schoolbooks on Roma folklore, a video disc for the main Roma festivals, an interactive disc for folklore and the traditions of Roma, Turkish and Bulgarian ethnicities. At present, these learning tools are used in over 250 schools.