HEALTH MEDIATORS The work of health mediators has provided the only opportunity for many Roma to get advice and assistance on the social benefits they were eligible to receive Maksym Dzhum, mediator, “Good people planet” NGO, Odessa
The Foundation promotes the introduction or the program for Roma health mediators that has proved its efficiency in Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, and other countries. With our support, “Ciricli” Roma Women Foundation has been implementing this initiative for more than two years in Ukraine. The leaders who enjoy trust and respect of community members work as mediators, providing advice on the most acute problems for the Roma such as visiting doctors, attending schools, getting social benefits, obtaining ID cards, etc. The mediators have become a bridge between Roma and various institutions (nurseries and schools, out-patient and in-patient clinics, passport departments, civil registry offices, etc.) In 2011, the mediators worked in five regions of Ukraine (Transcarpathia, Lviv. Odessa, Donetsk and Kyiv regions) covering almost 14,000 persons. The Foundation develops best practices and working instruments which should be used by the central and local governments after donor
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