Education and employment for Roma returning to Serbia

• EUR 2.4 million for reintegration and preparation for the labour market
• Scholarships for 1000 young Roma
• Lever to reduce migration from the Balkans

KfW, on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), made a financial contribution of EUR 2.4 million to the Roma Education Fund. In a second phase, KfW is committed to inject another EUR 3 million for additional measures. The funds will be used for several projects in Serbia: 1000 young Roma will receive a three-year scholarship enabling them to attend secondary school, 50 school students per year will be supported with work placements and 25 school leavers will be trained in vocational training courses. The work placement programme for Roma students involves Serbian companies as well as German companies in Serbia.

In addition, 100 families returning to Serbia per year will be supported with their reintegration into the Serbian education system. Children of repatriated families often speak no Serbian and are therefore excluded from attending local schools; for this reason, they will receive language training.

"Education and employment pave the way out of poverty. This also makes them effective instruments to reduce causes of migration," says Dr Norbert Kloppenburg, Member of the Executive Board of KfW Group.

Given a general youth unemployment rate of around 46% in Serbia, Roma have hardly any chance of finding a vocational training place or employment. Many withdraw completely from the Serbian labour market and seek their fortunes in (seasonal) migration.

Further information on KfW Development Bank is available at www.kfw-entwicklungsbank.de.