Bucharest, December, 5, 2014. Round Table “Roma entrepreneurship in Romania. Research and advocacy for setting up a financial instrument facilitating access of small Roma entrepreneurs and social businesses in Romania to micro-credits”
Bucharest, December, 5, 2014. Romanian Center for European Policies (CRPE) organized, together with the Policy Center for Roma and Minorities (PCRM), a first consultation event with NGOs active in the field of economic and social inclusion of Roma minority, part of the project “Roma entrepreneurship in Romania. Research and advocacy for setting up a financial instrument facilitating access of small Roma entrepreneurs and social businesses in Romania to micro-credits”
The difficulties faced by Roma entrepreneurs accessing proper financing sources represent a major impediment in supporting and developing their businesses, but also a barrier in the path of overcoming social exclusion and economic marginalization of Roma entrepreneurs. The lack of sufficient financial resources and often rejected by the financial institutions, the potential clients are obliged to abandon their development plans, with direct consequences on their own income and their local community. More so, this situation maintains a high rate of Roma people working in the informal economy.
Thus, together with our partners from Policy Center for Roma Minorities, we organize interviews with 100 small Roma entrepreneurs from various working fields (from scrap metal collectors to Roma working in tourism or traditional Roma crafts), in an attempt to assess the situation of small Roma entrepreneurs in terms of financing needs and formulate public policies proposals that would set up appropriate financial instruments.
During the event, CRPE presented how the research will be conducted, the initial findings, the preliminary policy guidelines on which the coalition of NGOs will be constructed and the steps for an effective advocacy strategy. The discussions were an important step in creating a coalition of NGOs with a high level of expertise in supporting small Roma entrepreneurs (individually or within social enterprises). The presentation can be consulted here.
The event is part of the “Roma entrepreneurship in Romania. Research and advocacy for setting up a financial instrument facilitating access of small Roma entrepreneurs and social businesses in Romania to micro-credits” project, financed by Open Society Institute.