Zambujal Melhora!

Description

The Amadora Municipality and the Housing and Urban Renewal Institute are the owners of Zambujal neighbourhood social housing in which the Amadora Intercultural School of Professions and Sports and all local social agents seek, through the 'Zambujal Melhora! ' (Zambujal Gets Better!) project to promote the socio-urban rehabitalisation of the Zambujal Neighbourhood. They pay particular attention to issues of environmental restoration and urban environmental education. The strong building intervention and the public space rehabilitation act as a locomotive of social development, sustained on the concerted work in close partnership with residents and local organisations, seeking changes in the ways and conditions of life.

Issue

The Zambujal Neighbourhood is characterised by degradation of buildings and public spaces, a lack of hygiene, socio-professional integration difficulties, unemployment, insecurity, social alienation, a low level of academic and professional qualification, and school drop-outs. Especially Roma people, a considerable number of the local population, suffers from these elements.

Therefore, partnership with local organisations and residents plays a key role in the process of urban regeneration and social development in the neighbourhood. Meetings were set up (21 sessions) with local organisations and residents for the presentation of the 'Zambujal Melhora' programme, in order to be able to incorporate  local opinions in the design of the projects. This was a lengthy process that slowed down the implementation of activities but provided generous gains on target participation.

Approach

The 'Zambujal Melhora!' project is structured according to the three major concerns of local organisations and residents:

• Housing: Rehabilitation of residential buildings (exterior and common areas);
  
  
• Environment and public space: Improvement of accessibility, lighting, parking, green spaces, pedestrian ways. Opening up the neighbourhood to the outside. Creating conditions for the promotion of healthy lifestyles with spaces for play and recreation. Focusing on the sustainability of the neighbourhood, through the participation of residents in the maintenance of public space;
  
  
• Economic and social development: Creation of two spaces (Opportunity Spaces) which are promoting activities (information, internet, literacy, vocational training, employment and entrepreneurship). The spaces are co-managed by the local community and local organizations. 

Results

• A participatory methodology which includes the identification and mapping of the uses and connotations of the places in the neighbourhood (Involvement of the community);
  
  
• The formation of a symphonic orchestra (40 children);
  
  
• The hiring of a local technical facilitator;
  
  
• The recognition, validation and certification of skills;
  
  
• The start of public space intervention that did not require the opinion of residents, particularly green space rehabilitation, lighting and hygiene;
  
  
• The recovery and adaption of two shops (Opportunity Spaces), by neighbourhood residents, having constituted an enterprise for this effect;
  
  
• The equipping of the Opportunity Spaces;
  
  
• The start of Technical gardening and landscaping training .

Financing

• Financial resources were made available by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF);
  
  
• Financial resources, material (including two shops for rehabilitation/adaptation) and human resources were made available by Amadora Municipality, the Institute of Housing and Urban Renewal and the Amadora Intercultural School of Professions and Sports;
  
  
• Resources were made available by  the other partners involved as well as by the community;
  
  
• In this context a Partner Network is being constituted, comprised of several institutions, which support the discussion, monitoring and evaluation of the Action Program. The various actions in the program will be developed with all public and private institutions interested in operating with the 'Zambujal Melhora!' programme.

EU Involvement

The EU plays a very important role by performing reforms and creating synergies between the political, economic, social and environmental structures and specifically in the consolidation of the Zambujal Melhora! Action Programme, as it provides the basic financial instruments for the implementation and development of the programmet. The Zambujal Melhora! Programme Action has an estimated budget of about 7.136.376,73 €.. POR Lisboa (OP Lisbon)/Critical Areas approved a total estimated eligible costs of about 2.791.574,73 €, and a ERDF co-financing of 50% of the total eligible costs (1.395.787,37€).

Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of this programme are the residents of the Zambujal neighbourhood - a population of 3,500 inhabitants.

Contact info

Amadora Municipality
Dr. Carla Tavares, Vice President
Tel: +351 21 436 90 00
Carla.tavares@cm-amadora.pt