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Back Brisilda Taco awarded as a Winner of the “Unknown Heroes” EU Award for Roma Integration in the Western Balkan and Turkey

Photo credits: EU Award for Roma Integration in the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019

Photo credits: EU Award for Roma Integration in the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019

Brisilda Taco, the nominee of the joint EU/CoE ROMACTED Programme was awarded with the second prize for the EU Award for Roma Integration in the Western Balkan and Turkey 2019. The “Unknown Heroes” award ceremony took place in Brussels on 19 March 2019.


Building upon her extensive experience as a Roma professional on human rights, Ms Taco has up-to-date results in her role as a ROMACTED Programme facilitator in the Albanian municipalities of Vlora and Elbasan. Brisilda has been applying the ROMACTED participatory methodology through strong mobilization of Roma community members in the already established Community Action Groups (CAGs) in Rrapishta area in Elbasan and in the Roma neighborhoods of Novosela, Akerni, Shushica and Administrative Unit no.1 in the Municipality of Vlora. Relying on her good attitude and balanced approach, she has been working closely with representatives of local authorities through referring issues of concern for Roma communities during the Institutional Working Groups (IWGs) and Multi-Taskforce meetings (MTFs) in both municipalities. She has paid special attention on participation of Roma women during programme activities, being a positive role model.

Specifically, Brisilda facilitated information sessions on housing programmes, economic aid requirements and attendance of vocational education courses for 30 families and assisted 2 university students to register in the university in the municipality of Elbasan in 2018. Additionally, she is helping 50 Roma community members in the municipality of Vlora to find a solution for their main problem of lack of electrical energy due to inherited debt. Our nominee informed 150 Roma families in Vlora on the available employment programs, and disseminated information to 50 Roma women on the mammography visits and child vaccination.

The ROMACTED team congratulates Ms Taco for this award.

Strasbourg 25 March 2019
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