Assistance to Roma Population in Devising Business Plans



At the invitation of the Euro Rom, the Roma association from Tuzla, and on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Euro Rom and the Labour and Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, representatives of the Labour and Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina have organized 26 workshops on how to draft business plans for residents of 37 Roma communities located in 24 municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The workshops brought together representatives of the local Roma associations and residents of Roma communities. 

The aim of these workshops was to prepare the Roma population to enter the labour market through self-funded business projects in framework of the Roma Employment Support Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina implemented by public employment services in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  The workshops consisted of a theoretical and a practical part where participants learned how to draft a business plan based on a sample business plan.  After the workshops, each Roma association was given a CD with business plan methodology and a sample business plan which can be obtained by all clients of the association simply by visiting the local Roma association where they can pick up their own copy. 

The following municipalities were visited from 22 September – 05 October 2012: Travnik, Vitez, Zenica, Zavidovići, Lukavac, Živinice, Tuzla, Kalesija, Živinice, Gradiška, Kozarska Dubica, Prijedor, Banjaluka, Prnjavor, Čelić, Brčko, Bijeljina, Banovići, Centar Sarajevo, Novi Grad Sarajevo, Novo Sarajevo, Ilijaš, Breza, Kakanj and Visoko.

According to a general assessment, only a very small number of the members of the Roma national minority have enough educational capacity to devise independently their own business plans.  This is why these workshops provide a big support to Roma population who can now use the existing form to draft their business plan and apply for Roma employment support programmes in entity employment services.