NEWSLETTER No. 2

POZEGA

                  Pozega Municipality is situated in West Serbia, by the river Zapadna Morava, in the territory of 426km². It has the population of 33,587 people. It is located in a fertile and ecologically unpolluted Pozega valley and has great potential for the development of agriculture and food-processing industry. In the preceding period, however, due to inadequate economic policy, our municipality, as well as our region and the entire country, has suffered destructive and overall impoverishment: economically, as well as in socio-cultural and  moral aspects. 

                 Throughout three years of active work aimed at the improvement in life quality and local community, and perceiving the need for intensifying the civil society development in West Serbia,  FORCA has implemented its activities not only in Pozega Municipality but also in parts of Zlatibor, Cacak and Sandzak Regions. Underdevelopment, passiveness and, in some cases, non-existence of non-governmental organisations as the third sector protagonists in neighbouring and related municipalities has roused the need for more embracing activities of our organisation concerning the civic initiatives development and support in our surroundings. In the process of accomplishing its mission, FORCA acts through continuous and focused endeavours towards the development of its citizens’ awareness of the democratic society basic principles through various educational, humanitarian, economic and psycho-social support programmes. Our ongoing activities are the following: 

Campaign for the local authorities responsibility – Throughout June and July this year FORCA has been conducting the campaign for the local authorities responsibility in cooperation with Libergraf from Uzice and other members of the "CORE" group from eleven towns of the region (Patria-Priboj, Integra-Prijepolje, Zlatarac-Nova Varos, AGORA-Bajina Basta, Mea Urba-Ivanjica, GRAL-Lucani, CKO-Arilje, Zlatiborski Krug-Cajetina and NOOK-Kosjeric). 

   The campaign aims at the improvement in communication between the citizens and the elected authorities representatives, increased responsibility of the local authorities and increased citizens’ influence on the local authorities’ decisions. The indirect goal of this activity is to involve and activate newly-formed organisations and to help build up their self-confidence and recognisable image in their local communities, which is a significant step towards the strengthening of the CORE group. 

   The project is being realised in the territory of 11 towns of this region and is supported by  USAID/DTI.

Humanitarian action – During June 2002 we realised a humanitarian action for the purpose of fundraising for the operation of a two-year-old blind boy Nikola Cijic from Uzice. 

            The entire action had the media support from all the local media, and in the course of its duration a jingle was broadcasted on the local TV channel with a view to animating as many people as possible to join in.

                 The central part of the action was realised in the period from 10-14 June 2002 when there were cinema projections of films for schoolchildren in Pozega and Uzice. With the support of «Yugoslav Cinematheque» and distribution companies "Tuck" and "Pro Vision" the following films played: "Asterix", "Big Barney's adventure" and a Yugoslav film "Munje". Apart from schools, a lot of socially-owned and private enterprises from the region joined the action as well as a lot of people individually. 

Community centre – for three years now, cooperation between FORCA and the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) office in Belgrade has continued through the implementation of various programmes aimed at refugees and IDPs as well as the local population. These programmes provide psychosocial support to beneficiaries, different kinds of training as well as assistance in the process of socialising and integration of refugees and IDPs into local community. Accordingly, the following programmes are presently being implemented: Children's playground (artistic workshop, sports workshop and playroom); Computer school; Psychological workshops; Info club; Women's handiwork workshop; Retraining for the unemployed and as a novelty compared to the previous years, the Internet club is opening in July.

Civil action in the village - In June this year FORCA started implementing the project "Civil action in the village", which is to be realised in 15 villages in the territory of Pozega Region. Given the fact that two thirds of the total population of Pozega Region live in the rural area, this target group animation and  its integration into the socio-economic transition process represents a significant activity towards the development and improvemnet of life quality in our environment.   

   The project goals are civil society development, promotion of human rights and tolerance, education and training on economic reforms in the transition period. All the activities have been planned and created based on investigating the authentic needs of the rural population of the 15 villages.

   The project is to be implemented in the 12 following months in the rural area of our municipality, and it is financially supported by the European Commission.

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