In Pirot, self-employment contracts were awarded to 10 beneficiaries of the “Reintegrate II – further support for the sustainable (re)integration of returnees in Serbia” project. Additionally, contracts were awarded to 8 employers who will hire 9 beneficiaries of the project, with the support of the City of Pirot, during a ceremony held in the Grand Hall of the City Administration of Pirot.
The beneficiaries in the self-employment component, in addition to receiving grants, also received mentoring support and counseling for the successful operation of their businesses. Furthermore, all beneficiaries expressed a readiness to register their businesses in their applications. They will receive grants in the form of equipment, machines, and tools, each valued at over 3,000 euros.
Some of the supported professions include tailoring, craft services, event organization, and greenhouse production. In this way, the service offerings in Pirot will be further enriched, and the project beneficiaries will have the opportunity to secure stable incomes for themselves and their families.
Additionally, 8 employers will receive subsidies to create 9 new jobs for candidates from hard-to-employ categories. The subsidies are provided in the form of machines and equipment, valued at 3,750 euros per new job created.
The ceremonial signing of contracts with the selected employers was attended by the Mayor of Pirot, Mr. Vladan Vasić, representatives of the City of Pirot, as well as representatives of the Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC), the team responsible for implementing the Reintegration II project. This project supports returnees and other socially vulnerable residents of the Pirot District through economic, psychosocial, and institutional support measures.
Since the start of the project, 30 unemployed individuals from hard-to-employ groups have been hired by 13 employers through grants for creating new jobs and expanding businesses, with a total financial support of 112,500 euros provided for the procurement of machines and equipment. Additionally, 15 beneficiaries received greenhouses valued at 30,000 euros. Over 450 children and young people have attended psychosocial workshops (265 workshops in total) as part of the project. A total of 26 beneficiaries have undergone retraining and additional qualifications.
Through various project activities, over 500 beneficiaries in Pirot will be supported to strengthen their economic and social standing through economic, psychosocial, and institutional support packages. In addition to employment support for unemployed individuals from hard-to-employ categories with recognized employers, support is provided through subsidies for self-employment, various business training programs, retraining and additional qualification courses, support for children and youth through inclusive workshops, as well as the development of institutional capacities in the area of social protection at the local level, with support for the development or improvement of social services.
The total value of the project in Pirot is 400,000 euros, and the project will run until April 31, 2025. Information on project activities, open calls, and more is available on the project website www.reintegracija.net, as well as on the websites of the City of Pirot, partner organizations, and associations.
The project is led by the German organization ASB (Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund), with the Initiative for Development and Cooperation (IDC) from Belgrade as the implementing partner. The beneficiary districts of the project are Pirot, Rasina, and Raška. In Pirot, the local partner is the Ternipe Association. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with support and co-financing from the City of Pirot.