Small Grant Scheme
On 8 October 2014 Contract № РД-17-521/08.10.14 was signed with Union „SFB -BG 07“, a company under the Law on Obligations and Contracts for “Management an execution of a small grant scheme within Result 4 “Specific Challenges for the Health of the Roma Population” of Program BG 07 “Initiatives for Public Health, Financed by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014“.
The contract amounts to 148 272 BGN with term for execution until 31 December 2016.
The activities stipulated in it are directed through students, PhD students and graduate students of Roma origin, who are or will be educated in medical majors in Bulgaria: Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Healthcare Management, Occupational Health and Ability to Work, as well as those training for laboratory technicians, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, assistant pharmacists and other medical majors and disciplines in medical institutions for higher education. The main priorities in the concept for assistance of the Roma population in the access to education and acquiring skills and knowledge in the field of healthcare shall be realized by:
Conducting informational campaigns and popularization of the opportunities for assistance and recruitment of grantees.
Grantee selection based on criteria specified in advance.
Guidance of grantees – accounting for and control of their activities.
Training in advocacy, realized within the camp for students, PhD students, graduates and mentors, in accordance with the TP.
Providing financial support for education of students, PhD students, graduate students in full-time and part-time form of education, training in the medical institutions for higher education, universities, colleges or with medical majors in other institutions for higher education, by covering the annual fees for education, payable each semester, as well as scholarships, payable for each month of the education, for covering expenses for educational literature, transport expenses, dormitory, food and other household expenses.
The term for execution of the contract is until 31 December 2016 for two academic years - 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. The expected results are: improvement of the access and quality of the health services; increase in the number of Roma, working in the field of healthcare as health specialists; reduce in the number of Roma without health insurance; improvement of the general condition of the Roma; overcoming the negative attitudes towards the Roma community in the field of healthcare.
In execution of the Small Grant Scheme for the academic 2014/2015 financial support for 35 graduate students of Roma origin was provided, and for the academic 2015/2016 – to 100 graduate students.
For the period 30.08 – 03.09.2015 a camp was conducted with the participation of 33 graduate students. Within the camp training for advocacy was realized for development of skills and qualities in order to initiate changes in the Roma communities.
You can find more information on the website of Small Grant Scheme:
