Rankovce

Rankovce was the village in which ETP piloted the project involving new self-built homes. The Roma villagers applied for micro-loans from ETP/Habitat Revolving Fund - all the builders were unemployed Roma living with their families in difficult conditions.

At first, the Roma had to deposit money in a bank for one year. Only those who deposited regularly for a year could get a loan from ETP/Habitat Micro-loan fund. The Village Authority has no stake in the ETP/Habitat Micro-Loan Fund. The mayor (actually a young employee of the village administration) is responsible for collecting payments every month from the Roma and transferring them to the ETP Micro-loan bank account.

Clients pay for their own homes using micro-loans to be repaid in ten years, thus relieving the burden on public finances. The model proposes that clients themselves, under the guidance of a construction supervisor, build their own houses and that the state, an NGO, a church or the local council assist in the construction.

It is a model in which everyone is a winner.

Self-construction helps break down stereo- types about people from socially excluded communities regarded by the majority population as abusers of social benefits, incompetent, passive and dependent upon state assistance.

The approach gives people the opportunity to take care of themselves. The aim is to ensure that the opportunity can be taken advantage of. It is preferable for individuals – i.e. the builders, with the maximum use of their potential and abilities – to bear the burden of responsibility.

If the builder one day discovers that his house is lacking in space or some other aspect, he may extend it without interfering with the existing house construction. Such an approach is called ‘incremental’. Incremental housing is a construction system which anticipates the future enlargement of spaces.

The pilot construction in Rankovce, which lasted about 12 months, involved the construction of four new houses and the legalisation and completion of two existing buildings.

Currently - in 2016 - there are 16 clients in Rankovce who have received loans from the ETP micro-loan fund and sixteen new houses. Since 2008. ETP has been disbursing micro-loans for minor reconstructions and refurbishments to more than 500 Roma people in 15 villages and towns in Eastern Slovakia.

The micro-credit scheme was developed by ETP Slovakia, Source: ETP www.etp.sk