Information Centre for NGOs in Southern Serbia

The project ‘Information Centre for NGOs in Southern Serbia’ is one of the major peculiarities of PROTECTA.  Not only was it the first project funded by foreign donor (Washington Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe), but it also was the project that communicated the basic principles which PROTECTA advocated. Being fully transparent in its operations, the Information Centre disseminated information to NGOs about relevant calls for proposals, possibilities of participating in trainings and seminars, topical events (of great importance to small communities in which the media blockade was most expressed in early 2000) and other information relevant to the civil sector. Already after several months of work, the Information Centre had more than 200 registered users /NGOs, which received emails and bulletins from PROTECTA on everyday basis. Though the project received external financial support only in 2000 and 2001, it has managed to survive until now thanks to PROTECTA’s self-funding. 

Assistance in establishing and registering associations of citizens

Through this project, PROTECTA helped the establishment of 63 NGOs in Southern Serbia, of which several are presently extremely important to the development of their respective local communities—Education Centre Leskovac, Denizen Svrljig, EHO Prokuplje etc. This project is still ongoing thanks to PROTECTA’s financial and technical support as the sole means of funding. The above-mentioned NGOs received support for writing project proposals and receiving funding.

Education of young leaders in local communities in Southern Serbia

In the course of 2003, PROTECTA organised a series of trainings for young leaders from municipalities in Southern Serbia. The project, which was funded by the European Youth Foundation, helped somewhat hundred people to develop their knowledge about human rights, civil society, work of NGO and writing project proposals. Thanks to this particular training, as well as to other programmes, PROTECTA managed to set up a network of qualified activists in all 28 municipalities in Southern Serbia i.e. the municipalities in which PROTECTA projects have been implemented. The project was aimed at introducing young leaders to advantages of informal education, which they might use as an educational method in their respective local communities.

Education of non-governmental organisations of displaced persons

With support from IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charity) PROTECTA organised two workshops consisting of two modules each. The total of 40 representatives of NGOs in the process of establishment got basic knowledge about the establishment and work of NGO, writing project proposals, needs assessment and responding to the needs, NGO management, teamwork, values of civil society, fundraising etc.

Informational-educational campaign about sex trafficking  

The informational campaign included round table discussions, debates, TV and Radio broadcasts, presentations and distribution of print campaign-related material. The aim was to launch a dialogue on sex trafficking in local communities and raise citizens’ awareness of importance of understanding of their role in the positive resolution of this issue. PROTECTA implemented this project in the region of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja where the multiethnic and multicultural structure of population (Albanians, Serbs and Roma live together in these municipalities) required a more sensible approach to the issue. In addition to this region, the project was also implemented in Pirot region.