NEW YEAR PRESENTS FOR CHILDREN WITHOUT PARENTS AND ROMA CHILDREN

29.12.2009.

Delegation of theCouncil of Palilula Municipality, during the end of 2009 , visited the children and people living in the parts of Palilula generally settled by Roma nationality. That was the initiative more for New years presents, but also the review of conditions and life quality of this ethnic group that, according to citizen register from 2002, is 4,75 of Palilula population. `With New years presents we want all the children in Nis and Palilula to have the same status and the same life conditions`-emphasized Boban Mikic, member of Municipal Council, when with Slavoljub Savic, vice - head of Municipal Administration visited Roma children in Crvena Zvezda (Palilula). This `not-urban` Roma settlement has many unsolved matters: problem of bad conditions of everyday living and infrastructure, unsolved issues of land ownership. ` We will try in 2010 to get the resources for the improvement of life conditions in this area with the help of the Republic`, emphasized  Mikic. Children of Roma population are somehow not included in society, they do not go to schools, nursery schools. For one overall improvement of the position of Roma population it is necessary for the children to go to schools. In that way we will realize bigger possibilities for work and their better socio-economical position. With given 70 New year`s presents to children, in symbolic way, the efforts of these people is supported, the efforts to become active members of our society.

To NGOs `Ponos` and `Rom` the project that has for its aim the creating of pre - conditions for language adaptation of pre-school age children. Palilula Municipality will help in providing space where this project will be implemented.  `According to strategy for reduction of poverty, Roma population is one of the most jeopardized and most vulnerable groups in Serbia. Problems with which they meet are huge. We try to indentify the present problems in the best way, so that we can help them` -says Milos Stojkovic, member of Palilula Municipal Council. `On the occasion of New Year we gave about 200 presents to Roma children in Roma settlements `Stocni trg` and in Mramorska street, as well as 112 presents to children without parents care in the homes of the people taking care of them. Our role, as one responsible organization of local governement, is to help in creating equal life conditions for all our citizens, and constant care of all our chategories, especially children and young people`.