Green Jobs Programme

Our Green Jobs (Zöldmunka) programme was inspired by the realisation that in many underdeveloped communities, the majority of Roma people live in poor environmental conditions; therefore, in areas with high unemployment and poverty, there is a need for projects that simultaneously address environmental issues and create job opportunities.

In early 1997, in light of all this and with the aim of eliminating these problems, we announced the first Green Jobs programme in collaboration with the Ökotárs Foundation (which was followed by four more until 2002).

We carried out preliminary assessments of every application received, after which a decision on the award of funding was taken at a joint board meeting of the two foundations. We organised training sessions on sustainable development and grant application writing for the winning organisations. We continuously monitored the winning projects with the help of mentors; their task was to bring together local experts and organisation leaders, as well as to ensure that the objectives and methods set out in the signed contract were implemented.

The greatest achievement of the first round of the Green Jobs programme was that it brought Roma and non-Roma people together in many places; in most cases, non-Roma people also actively participated in the programme, which improved perceptions of the Roma population.

The supported projects proved to be sustainable in the long term and contributed to improving the quality of life in the local communities.

Over the four years of the programme, 51 organisations received funding totalling 38 million forints.