POVERTY OBSERVATORY IN BIH

A. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT

Partners: Caritas Italiana, Secours Catholique, Caritas International Belgium

Duration: 6 months of preparation (June-December 2008.) + 15 months (1. January 2009 - 31 March 2010).

Goals:

• Permanent observation of different typology of poverty in BiH
• To define the instruments, mechanisms and data for the observation of poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Type of actions: Sociological Research on Poverty, data processing, production of reports on poverty, organization of international conferences, education of parish Caritas in method of listening, observations and discern for animation.

Total value of project: 218,955.16 KM / € 111,950.00.

B. REPORT FOR 2008

The idea for the project Poverty Observatory was born during the visit of the delegation from Caritas Italiana to local Church and Caritas in BiH. During a meeting with the different parties the need to introduce more comprehensive poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina emerged, particularly the poverty to which Caritas encountered in daily work. Pastoral method of listening, observation and discern for animation implemented by the Caritas Italiana were appropriate for the area of BiH.
The project officially started on 1st January 2009 but a lot of work on the project preparation was done during 2008

• BC BH created the project proposal that was approved
• The funding for the first phase of the project (Caritas Italy, France and Belgium) provided.
• The first seminar / meeting of responsible persons from Caritas in BiH with experts from Italy organized.
• The Coordination group, consisting of staff from each diocesan Caritas, Caritas BC BH and Caritas Italiana formed.
• The first meeting of the coordination group, to define the implementation plan, duties and responsibilities of each member, held
• The first stage of training in Italy (7 days at diocesan Caritas Trst and Caritas Italiana) organized.
• The basic methods of sociological research defined, the first draft card completed.
• The draft for Caritas Vademecum (a resources map) completed.

In the coming period, with the help of local experts, to further develop the process methods and instruments for research. The beginning of the research was planned for period after the Easter, and followed by processing and data analysis.