The project aimed to enhance the capacities of NGOs and Roma community members engaged in NGOs. We sought to help NGO staff better understand the multifaceted identity of Roma communities and improve collaboration to address challenges like education, employment, and social inclusion. Simultaneously, we aimed to empower Roma individuals to take active roles within NGOs, become more independent and proactive, and collaborate with others to share knowledge within their communities. On an international level, the project promoted best practices to improve opportunities for the Roma community and encouraged cooperation between organizations working with Roma populations globally. Through intellectual outputs, international meetings, and local activities, we focused on ensuring that Roma communities receive better support in their engagement with NGOs and actively participate in implementing activities conducted by partner organizations working with Roma communities. This approach strengthened the mutual capacities of NGOs and the Roma to foster meaningful collaboration.
We decided to implement this project because we observe a significant lack of capacity within the non-governmental sector working with the Roma community. On one hand, we often notice that personnel collaborating with the Roma community lack a deep understanding of this community. They typically possess only basic knowledge related to Roma identity and cultural heritage, but not the in-depth expertise and comprehension needed to foster better cooperation and improve opportunities for the Roma community. On the other hand, we see that organizations working with the Roma community involve Roma men and women in various ways but in a rather limited scope. This is because, in diverse geographical contexts, they often do not possess sufficient skills and knowledge to compete for employment opportunities in the NGO sector. During the project implementation, we placed a special emphasis on addressing the significant challenge of how to engage and actively include Roma women. They are often discriminated against not only in interactions with the majority population but also within the Roma community itself, which remains largely patriarchal. The key need we addressed was improving opportunities for Roma women in NGOs.