Roma families in northern Montenegro are successfully benefiting from an economic development programme. Through establishing small businesses via AgroInvest, World Vision's micro credit programme, their living conditions have changed drastically.

The Hairushi and Djulshan families, with three and seven children respectively, are part of the 1,000 population Roma colony in Nikšiæ. The heads of those families, Isad and Redzo, have been unemployed for several years, since private foreign capital came into the small Montenegrin town.

Isad's mother is one of the thousands internally displaced Roma from Kosovo in 1999, with no ID papers. Isad became one of the loan recipients of AgroInvest, World Vision's microfinance institution in Serbia and in Montenegro. World Vision however, does look further than economic development only.

With support of staff from World Vision's Area Development Programme in Niksic, community members identify key priorities for the development of their communities and specific needs of individual families. One of them was the urgent doctors examination and specialist support for Sead, Isad's son, who was born prematurely and has only 20 percent eye vision.

3 percent of the revenues from World Vision's micro credit activities is set aside for these types of interventions and community projects. Out of this fund US$750 was provided, so that Sead could travel to Novi Sad, Serbia, for a proper doctor's check. He attends a special school in Podgorica now. Since 2005 World Vision has taken over 100 child focused initiatives, supporting communities in education, health and recreational activities. Over 5,000 children have been direct beneficiaries of these projects.

Another example is the Djulshan family with seven children, aged from eight months to 20 years, and one grand child. Father, 45-year-old Redzo, with a microcredit from AgroInvest, purchased a circular saw and offers his sawing service to the citizens of Nikšiæ. He now earns around 1,000 Euro per season and has been able to provide better housing, clothing and balanced food to his children

'I have even hired an employee, whom I felt pity for and for his family. It was much harder seven months ago, when we were without any income. I do not want my children to beg. I want them to have an honorable life and have some school. Two of my seven kids now attend school'.

Kyhl Amosson, World Vision's National Director says: 'The Roma population is not any different from other clients. They also want to have better life for their children and families, they are just like everyone else – they want to earn enough of income to have warm houses over winters, feed their children, send them to schools, and give them better medical care if needed'.

World Vision does not specifically target the Roma population through AgronInvest, as it is more focused on reduction of economic and social poverty in the rural areas. The Roma population is concentrated in urban areas. But wherever possible, it encourages social integration and support for all people through community mobilization.

Almost four million Roma, the biggest concentration in the world, is in the Balkans. In Montenegro, the Roma population is not as large as in Serbia or in Southern Montenegro, but they certainly represent one of the most vulnerable and excluded groups in the society.