We are focused on improving the conditions of Roma settlements in the Košice region. Our goal is to increase the number of Roma who are willing to work in their surroundings and to change the negative environment of communities to a better picture, to open their own crafts and attractive environment for tourists. Roma communities in the Košice region are often located near lucrative centers of tourism and they are a negative element that can discourage large numbers of visitors.

Markušovce - village in the district of Spišská Nová Ves, in the Košice Region.

For the last 50 years, people consider Spiš as micro-region where is more Roma than the majority society. Despite of the fact that there are many beautiful chapels, Spiš Castle, pilgrimage sites, people stop visiting this region because to any nice place one has to go through several areas in which Roma live in inhospitable conditions, which is the main issue we want to solve. Arrival of Roma to Slovakia is connected with the Markušovce. There is also a beautiful Markušovce castle, we would like to build historical attractions in the vicinity of Markušovce, which would be an artifact of the historical movement of the Roma to us. We involve the Roma as craftsmen, artists, we would like to create a prototype of carriages, workshops, give a little differrent shape to the settlements.

First of all, for a community to raise their living standards which, based on developed culture and art, was sustainable.
The second, for the local entrepreneurs and self-governments, as well as for the majority of citizens, who in the present time suffer from the fact that they know that tourism could potentially be developed, but is not due to Roma communities.
In the end, for the public and potential visitors who could be attracted by the current attractions in Spiš. In the future, this attraction should be accompanied by an interesting Roma aspect, the journey of the Roma to our region.

We are already working with field social workers in these communities, we also have our procedures communicated with Košice Self-governing Region and mayors, we are supported by the city of Spišská Nová Ves in which district we work.
Our methods: direct field work, non-formal education workshops directly in Roma communities, in these workshops, it is about working with recycled materials, wood on new attractions or coziness of given communities.

Higher attendance in individual localities, more events, greater occupancy of accommodation capacities, a higher number of employed Roma, for example by their own arts and crafts.

At present, the Roma in Slovakia are perceived as a passive minority that only lives on the basis of benefits of the social system and they are not active in the society. Based on the motivation of this minority and the strengthening of the Roma aspect as a historical milestone in Slovak history, we want to create interest of this minority - what is happening in their surroundings and the opportunity to actively participate in building local infrastructures, to help local government and thus also throught the theme of strengthening of the Roma aspect as positivity in the field of crafts and arts.

If it is not solved by such partial projects, the level of Roma in the Slovak Republic decreases from year to year and it is necessary not only to create activities for them, but also carry out activities in cooperation with the Roma community and increase their awareness through their culture. Based on our experiences, we found out that it is the only solution. We want to create many of such projects, because otherwise the minority and the majoroites will be made a bigger gap, which leads to non-democracy, inequality.

Office supplies: 2000 EUR
Wages: 20 000 EUR
Material: 28 000 EUR

The rest of the budget will be resources from local government.