ABOVE:
USAID Mission Director, William Jeffers visits prsut (smoked Dalmatian ham) production association in Drnis.
USAID helped preserve local tradition and assisted the association to create a brand name for the famous Drnis prsut. The association and its members also obtained ISO and HAACP international quality control certifications that enables them to export to Europe.
Implementer: Mercy Corps International
Partners: FLAG International, International Rescue Committee (IRC), International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Dalmatian Solidarity Center (DOS), Stope Nade, Center for Civil Initiatives (CCI), NUPZZ, Serb Democratic Forum (SDF), Local Economic Development Agency (LEDA WS), LERA Krka, ZaMirNet, Center for Peace Osijek, OGI, CESI, Suncokret
Economic and Community Revitalization Activity (ECRA)
Project completed May 2004
The Economic and Community Revitalization Activity (ECRA) assisted Croatia with revitalization of local economies and community programs in 11 municipalities along the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) that were devastated by war. ECRA focused on: community-based economic programs that created jobs; increased community reintegration in return areas; increased the rate of returns from B&H and Serbia and Montenegro; and improved access to housing for returnees, displaced persons and "settlers" using market-based approaches. ECRA promoted the creation of new small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and agricultural initiatives essential for income generation and employment for economically active returnees. ECRA assistance was closely coordinated with USAID's Community Infrastructure Rehabilitation Program (CIRP) that worked with the same the group of municipalities.
Results
Community committees representing all segments of the municipality are functioning in ten USAID partnership municipalities and almost 17,000 people of all ethnic groups participated in 315 ECRA-assisted community activities. The program created an optimistic and positive atmosphere in the partnership municipalities. Residents and local government officials said they felt like life returned to their communities.
ECRA activities created employment for nearly 1,900 people. It supported family farms through loans; provided technical assistance and training to improve production, productivity, profitability and development of a sustainable market.
Delivery of micro-finance loans, small and medium enterprise (SME) business loans strengthened market linkages for local businesses, and business advisory services enhanced business capacity.
ECRA activities generated 206 SME loans. Activities also generated 325 contracts worth $2,267,210 for assisted enterprises and provided 1,232 first time loans.
USAID assistance helped facilitate the return process through legal assistance. Nearly 10, 000 people resolved their cases and 19,494 people received legal services that included court representation, advocacy and education at the local and cross-border information activities, info-visits and "go-and-see" visits accompanied by legal counseling across border at the triangle level of Croatia-Serbia & Montenegro-Bosnia.
Download document: Economic and Community Revitalization (PDF 132 KB)
