The “Socio-Economic Inclusion in Brčko District” project, financially supported by the Government of the Czech Republic through the Czech Development Agency, with the support of the Government of Brčko District of BiH and implemented by the Development and Guarantee Fund of Brčko District of BiH and CARE International Balkans, is entering its final phase after three years of implementation.

The results of the SEI project were presented on Thursday, 1 October, at the closing conference held as part of the programme of the 20th International Economic Fair in Brčko District of BiH.

“This pilot project in Brčko District, primarily aimed at employment and support for marginalized groups, including young people, women, persons with developmental difficulties, and members of the Roma minority, has brought numerous benefits to these groups,” said the Mayor of Brčko District of BiH, Siniša Milić, emphasizing that this is not an ordinary project, but one that has established several new mechanisms and initiatives in the District.

“First and foremost, I am referring to support for vulnerable groups of the population, the Business Incubator, support in preparing self-employment projects, as well as the first social enterprise in Brčko established within the project,” Milić emphasized, concluding that all of this obliges the authorities of Brčko District to continue providing support to the project in the future.

Representing the donor of the project, worth BAM 2.7 million, Adam Gazda, Consul at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in BiH, expressed his satisfaction with the project’s implementation and the results achieved.

“In practical terms, the economic inclusion of vulnerable groups is something to which the Government of the Czech Republic pays significant attention. It is particularly important that at this fair we have the opportunity to witness the concrete connection between the beneficiaries of this project and the labour market,” Gazda emphasized.

The event was attended by Katarina Kral, National Director of CARE Czech Republic, who also expressed her satisfaction with the results achieved through the SEI project.

“We are very satisfied not only with the successful implementation of the project, but also with the opportunity to see concrete examples, including people who have found employment and businesses that have been established and given an opportunity for economic empowerment and further development,” Kral stressed.

One of the implementers of the SEI project is CARE International Balkans, based in Sarajevo. On behalf of the organization, Regional Director Sumka Bučan expressed her great appreciation to all project stakeholders for their joint contribution to its successful and tangible implementation.

“More than 40 people have found employment, around fifteen interns have completed their first work experience and undergone training. Several hundred members of all target groups have participated in various training and educational programmes. But most importantly, the SEI Centre will remain here as a genuinely sustainable institution which, with the support of the Government of Brčko District of BiH, will continue the work initiated through the project,” Bučan emphasized.

On behalf of the second SEI project implementer, the Development and Guarantee Fund of Brčko District of BiH, Director Ognjen Okilj also expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of the SEI project.

“It is clear to us that the task ahead of us, with the support of the Government of Brčko District of BiH, is to ensure the continuation of the SEI project activities. This also includes the Business Incubator, which I believe is worth continuing to support by increasing its capacity, so that new start-ups can be established continuously with our support,” Okilj emphasized.

That the SEI project has become, as people in Brčko like to say, a “model worth replicating” in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also confirmed by the interest expressed by the municipalities of Bratunac, Travnik and Derventa in launching a similar project in their communities.