More than 30 social integration projects will be awarded in the final of the ERSTE Foundation Award for Social Integration 2013. There were selected projects that show high quality, innovation and sustainability and are aimed at the social integration of one or several groups of disadvantaged persons. As many as 104 applications were submitted by Moldovan organizations. A team of local experts chose seven NGOs operating on both banks of the Nistru for the final. The projects will be assessed by an international jury that includes a Moldovan this May, IPN reports.
According to a communiqué from ERSTE Foundation, the NGOs selected for awards are: the Ungheni-based public association “Support and Hope”, with the project “Equal early education chances for all children”; the Association for Cooperation and Democratic Communication “DIALOG” of Cahul, with the project “Engaged citizens for a nicer town”; the Chisinau Public Association of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs “VITA; the Public Association “CCF Moldova – Child, Community, Family” of Chisinau; the Public Association “Concordia” of Dubasarii Vechi; the Rehabilitation Center “OSORC” of Tiraspol, and the Center for the Support of Businesses for the Blind of Chisinau, with the project “MATRA VIP business support” program Moldova 2009-2012”.
The Award Gala will take place in Vienna in June. There will be invited by a representative of every finalist project. Besides the money awards totaling €610,000, the 33 winners will benefit from support in the relations with the media, provided by PR consultants, during a period of two years (July 2013 – June 2015).
The about 130 finalists from all the participating counties will be integrated into the ERSTE Foundation NGO Academy, which is a springboard designed to help them develop such organizational skills as: communication with the mass media, development of social enterprises as financing alternative, aptitudes in fundraising, and development of organizational identity.
The Foundation Award for Social Integration is offered once in two years for social integration projects from 13 European countries, counting Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
As many as 1988 projects from the 13 countries have taken part in the contest this year.
