New kindergarten in Prešov, Slovakia benefits Roma community

closed

The aim of the project was to improve the educational opportunities for those living in Vydrník. To do this, this project built an extension to the village’s current kindergarten – an extension that not only increases the standard of living for the marginalised Roma, but for the entire Vydrník community as well.Dávid Bodnár, Manager for information and communication, Ministry of Interior of the Slovak RepublicThe project reconstructed and extended the existing kindergarten building. In designing the new school, the project incorporated the latest in energy-efficient building. As a result, the new school has reduced its energy consumption by 20 763 kWh/year, while substantially reducing the building’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.In Vydrník, a village located in the Prešov region of northern Slovakia, Roma people make up nearly 65 % of the population. By April 2020, over 48 children were enrolled in the new facility, including 42 Roma.A foundation for future successThe new kindergarten offers more space and provides the village with a modern facility equipped to meet today’s educational needs. The new school ensures that children have the foundation they need to succeed as they advance into their primary school years.Having this solid educational foundation is particularly important for those children from low-income families, who often struggle in primary school due to a lack of social, health, and language skills.Increased capacity, improved conditionsAccording to project coordinators, the new school not only increased capacity, it also improved the quality of the available facilities. This combination of increased capacity and improved conditions has resulted in a better integration of Roma children – contributing to an improved quality of life for the Roma communities.Two Roma were hired to help build the new school. As the quality of life for this marginalised population goes up, the region as a whole benefits. The school is also helping overcome past prejudices and discrimination by welcoming different minorities and people from rural areas into the community.Total investment and EU fundingTotal investment for the project “Construction of kindergarten in Vydrník” is EUR 207 565, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 176 430 through the “Human Resources Slovakia” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Technical facilities in municipalities with high share of marginalised Roma communities”.