Udruženje ZADRUGARSTVO
Organization Details
Our mission is to promote and create equitable job opportunities for socially vulnerable groups and advocate for sustainable solutions and inclusive development of local community. Located in central Serbia, our pioneering social enterprise specializes in training and employing individuals with developmental disabilities, while adhering to the principles of circular economy, social inclusion, and ecological production. Focused on recycling and manual paper production from used cigarette packs, our program aims to harness the talents of our beneficiaries and facilitate their integration into workforce. Our program seeks to identify the strengths of our beneficiaries, fulfill their potential, and create opportunities for their holistic development.
Impact Story
Our main positive impact is the inclusion of individuals with disabilities- adults with cognitive impairment, into the workforce. To date, six beneficiaries have successfully completed our training program focused on paper recycling and manual paper production. Of these individuals, five have secured permanent positions within our inclusive workshop. The outcomes we are most proud of include the enhanced self-sufficiency of our beneficiaries, their improved economic independancy and the strengthened social cohesion within the group.
Our program actively engages the community in daily recycling efforts, encouraging the collection and donation of recyclable materials, particularly discarded cigarette packs. Over the past two years, we have collected and recycled the equivalent of 43 city containers—approximately 47,000 liters—of paper waste from the local community, transforming it into high-quality recycled paper.
These recycling efforts significantly reduce waste in the local community, preserve forests, and mitigate CO2 emissions. Furthermore, our program emphasizes the importance of environmental preservation through a circular economy. By raising awareness about these critical issues, we showcase the potential for integrating vulnerable groups into the workforce, fostering inclusion and community engagement.
Over the past two years, our efforts have been recognized and honored by several prestigious institutions, including the Trag Foundation (Balkan Green Ideas Award), UNDP (Social Innovation Award), and Belgrade Open School (Drivers of Change).
Diverse Social Enterprise
The TRANSFORM Support Hub is committed to accelerating diverse owned and led enterprises to build more equitable and resilient supply chains.
