PRISTINA, June 17, 2010 – The World Bank Kosovo Office announced today the projects submitted by Kosovo civil society organizations which it selected for support by the Civil Society Fund (CSF) program for 2010.
The theme of the program for 2010 in Kosovo is Civic Engagement for Environment Protection. There were 76 project proposals by 71 different organizations submitted to the program. The total amount of available CSF funds in Kosovo this year was 40,000 USD. USAID joined the review process.
The Civil Society Fund program has a different focus every year. Last year, the theme of the CSF program was Civil Engagement for Transparency and Anti-Corruption and the review process was assisted by representatives from the Anti-Corruption Agency of Kosovo, Kosovo Democratic Institute, Kosovo Civil Society Fund and the Governance Program of UNDP Kosovo.
CSF in Kosovo is active since 2004. The previous themes of the program in Kosovo were: Civic Engagement for Vulnerable Groups (2008), for Education (2007), for Environment (2006), for Youth from different areas and different ethnicities (2005), and for Marginalized Roma (2004).
CSF program is designed to strengthen the voice and influence of poor and marginalized groups in the development processes, thereby making these processes more inclusive and equitable. To this end, it supports activities of civil society organizations whose primary objective is encouraging and supporting civic engagement of these target populations. By involving citizens who are often excluded from the public arena, and increasing their capacity to influence policy and program decisions, the CSF helps facilitate ownership of development initiatives by a broader sector of society.
The Program was created in 1983 and is funded by the Development Grant Facility of the World Bank. The CSF program in Kosovo is managed by the World Bank Kosovo Country Office.
This year, project-proposals from the following civil society organizations were selected to be supported:
| Organization / Project | Amount | Objective |
| Art Plus / Clean Environment – Healthy Citizens in Suhareka Municipality |
US$ 5,695 | The objective is to protect the environment from littering and enable a smooth start of the implementation of the law on fining citizens for littering on public spaces, through activities for raising the awareness that littering causes damage to the environment and that there will be fines. Also through raising the awareness of Kosovo citizens on how to administer the garbage, and through activities which would prompt local authorities to start the implementation of the administrative order on littering. |
| Avenija / Awakening in Greenery |
US$ 5,682.5 | The objective is to awaken sensibility about the importance of protecting and preserving the environment. The project foresees regulation of parks and green areas in the villages of Caglavica and Laplje Selo. |
| Center for Energy and Natural Resources -American University in Kosovo / Raise Awareness About Energy Efficiency and its Impact on the Environment Among School Students |
US$ 5,700 |
The objective is to raise the awareness on energy efficiency and its importance among students from primary and secondary schools in the Prishtina Region through activities to be organized by the American University in Kosovo students. |
| Balkan Bridges / Take Charge of Your Future |
US$ 5,700 | The objective is to raise the awareness and promote models / ideas for proper disposal of batteries to prevent toxic material from being ingested by animals, plants and from contaminating our water supply, and by that to contribute towards solutions for a clean and sustainable environment in Kosovo. |
| Fare Verde / Today’s and Tomorrow’s Young Environmentalists |
US$ 5,700 | The objective is to increase the awareness among citizens for environmental protection with a focus on Energy Efficiency and Forestry Protection in Peja Region. |
| Kulturno-Umetnicko Drustvo (KUD) Behar / Environmental protection of tourist site Prevalla/Prevalac and its surrounding |
US$ 5,700 | The objective is to help create the conditions for maintaining a clean environment, for development of tourism, protection of healing plants and fruits and for having more trees. It also aims the creation of conditions for economic security and social prosperity. Participation of local community - citizens from the whole region and from all ethnic groups - through an education process is another objective. |
| Shoqata e Intelektualëve të Pavarur / Clean Environment, Good Health |
US$ 5,692 |
The objective is to increase the awareness and knowledge of grade six students on environment; enhance institutional approach, and institutions’ engagement on environmental protection; establish and strengthen voluntary groups working on environment protection; and removal of waste from school sites. |
The World Bank Office in Pristina will interact with the Grant recipients during the projects’ implementation to ensure that the objectives and the goals of the agreed programs are met.
