EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS HELD AS PART OF THE PROJECT "PREVENTIVE ACTION TO STOP PREMATURE MARRIAGES AMONG ROMA IN THE JABLANICA DISTRICT"

8. December 2016.

Leskovac – As part of the project "Preventive Action to Stop Premature Marriages among Roma in the Jablanica District", a non-governmental organization "ROSA" (Roma Renewal, Cooperation and Alternatives) organized the initial educational workshop, which was held at the "Svetozar Markovic" primary school in Leskovac. The workshop was designed for 20 Roma students in higher grades of the school, as well as for their parents.

“On the one hand, health, economic and social problems of marrying early were underscored at the workshop, while, on the other, the options reached through education and employment were stressed, too”, said Laura Saitovic, the project coordinator, who added that they wanted to have an impact on the awareness of both Roma students and their parents, who, according to her, are a major factor in preventing early, contracted and forced marriages between children.

Jovica Marjanovic, the Principal of the "Svetozar Markovic" elementary school, emphasized the importance of such lectures for the school:

“Over the past ten years, students dropped out of school due to various circumstances, or failed to enroll in secondary school, which is a more important issue. We were happy to open the doors of our school because of that and I hope that something good will arise from it and that young Roma will remain at school until they finish it off. There are currently 138 Roma students at this school, and some of them have excellent school marks and they have achieved outstanding results.”

The project is implemented in four municipalities of the Jablanica District, in Leskovac, Lebane, Bojnik and Vlasotince. It is carried out in cooperation with the social welfare centers from the above-mentioned municipalities, while it is financed through the European Progress program, by the European Union, the Swiss Government and the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

Source: Rominfomedia and Coordination Body