The problem is covert discrimination of urban immigrant women by the local population and the consequent difficulty with integrating into community life. The target group is an overlooked and vulnerable group of urban immigrant women, living in the rural area. Aim of the project is to detabuize the myth of a sublime urban immigrant woman, to facilitate her integration, raise awareness of covert discriminantion by the village environment, to create an Urban immigrant women movement.

Solčava (Slovenia, Upper Savinjska region); mountain village, rural, demographically endangered area

The community expects development without awareness that change is an important aspect of development. To the latter, however, it feels resistance. The idea of traditional/stereotipycal role division between genders is still present. Coincidentally, the majority of urban immigrant women are well educated and do not fit the stereotype. The community expects them to assimilate, but on the other hand inhibits their integration by preventing them to take on important roles in the community. The project will address this so far unidentified and overlooked vulnerable group of women, who, due to the above facts, present their knowledge elsewhere, because it is not recognized as valuable in their local community.

Urban immigrant women in the Solčava region – educated women, that migrated from urban to distinctly rural environment and are not recognized as a vulnerable group due to stereotypes.
Female farmers in the Solčava region – local residents, who are recognized as a vulnerable group. However, their vulnerability is addressed within the association of female farmers, within which the activities (cooking, sewing, gardening courses etc.) unconsciously increase their stereotypical role in the community.
Local population in the Solčava region – local community with a strong sense of local identity, common goals, moral principles and ways of behaving, within which there is a lack of tolerance, a lack respect for differences among different individuals and a lack intergroup cooperation.

- Project presentation – invitation to urban immigrant women to form a group and establish a dialogue within the group
- Collecting the stories of urban immigrant women in Solčava region in the form of letters or interviews. Publication of a book with those stories. Thematic analysis of collected stories. Identification of key topics, which will be the basis for the preparation of the theater performance. Socializing of urban immigrant women at rehearsals. Organization and performance of the prepared theater play. Organization of a round table for creating a dialogue between urban immigrant women and local residents.
- Workshops for personal/spiritual growth, discussion meetings that address taboo themes, literary clubs for urban immigrant women and peasant women – mutual exchange of experiences and knowledge.
- Presentation of views of urban immigrant women, which refer to the local community development, to local decision-makers. Presentation of a strategic plan to councilors and municipal administration. Presentation of “Urban immigrant women” movement in the media at the regional, national and international level.
- Creating connections with other groups of urban immigrant women in other similar rural areas of southern and eastern Europe – establishing the urban immigrant women movement at international level.

- Awareness of local community (about problems, faced by urban immigrant women; published collection of urban immigrant women stories; theater play; round table; articles).
- Integration of urban immigrant women in the local community (established connection, dialogue within the group of urban immigrant women; identified key issues, faced by urban immigrant women; reduced fear of expressing their own views and ideas for community development; completed program of activities for facilitated integration of current and new urban immigrant women).
- Empowerment and political activation of urban immigrant women (prepared, presented strategic plan for the development of local community programs for greater inclusion)
- Establishment of the international Urban immigrant women movement.

The project will encourage dialogue between members of the local community through its activities. Urban immigrant women will become more politically active and present a strategic development plan to local community, including decisionmakers. This way, they will also be given an opportunity to actively participate in decision-making processes on local level. Their so far unrecognized knowledge will be shared within the community and possibly incorporated in the local policy – or forwarded for consideration at the national level. Through their active engagement in the community, they will encourage other local women to practice greater responsibility in co-decision making. The ultimate goal of the project is the establishment of a movement that will make an impact at international level.

The project team consists of four women, three of whom are urban immigrant women. Renata Jakob Roban has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and is a family therapist. Andreja Martinčič has a Bacheelor’s Degree in Tourism organization, a licence in tour guiding and in spiritual monitoring. Tadeja Gotar is employed in the Society as a professional worker. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Family and Marital Studies, is in training to become a Gestalt Pedagogue. Tina Štupar, also the president of the Society SPES, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. Renata, Andreja and Tadeja are directly connected to the local environment. They are motivated by untapped potential of the community development in terms of social programs development.

MAJOR EXPENSES
Administrative expenses - 2.000
Personnel cost of staff and team - 5.000
Travel expenses - 1.000
Three-day professional trip - 5.000
A theatre play - 3.000
Round table conference - 2.000
Workshops - 5.000
Promotion to general public - 2.000
A book edition - 5.000
Founding an international movement - 5.000

We would like to recieve a feedback on whether individual local communities recognize urban immigrant women in their area as a vulnerable group and if they are interested in joining an international movement “Urban Immigrant women”.