About Us

Details

History

Our work started as a reaction to an acute problem of our society. After a "Velvet Revolution" in 1990s, many Roma families were forcibly moved to replacement dwellings. They didn't want or couldn't afford to pay a rent because of unemployment. Over time, some non-Roma families joined the debtors and were also moved to the replacement dwellings. They are having a hard time coping with this problematic situation and are not able to overcome it without some external help. Relationships in many families are affected or often disrupted.

Many children are raised in such an inadequate environment. They are "sentenced" to live without the hope of a future. If their lives don't change, they may become delinquents. Therefore we decided to help the Roma and the socially unadapted families through this difficult process.

Informally we have been working since 1994, but the NGO Nadej detom was officially registered in April 1998. We work in Banská Bystrica and in the surrounding areas.

Mission

We are concerned with the whole process of personal development of children. In this way we can avoid bigger problems in the future. By teaching basic Christian principles we would like to build a strong foundation for an improved life style of the new generations.

Activities focused on

Uniqueness

  • Educational programs focused on knowing their ethnic group, culture, traditions and language.
    • The result of this endeavour is to help the children understand and accept the fact that the physical appearance and the character differentiating Roma children from the others make them precious, unique and special.
    • The child believes that he or she has special qualities and skills.
    • Only a child who believes that he or she is unique can set a higher goal and accomplish a desirable behaviour.

Companionship

  • We give the children the feeling of companionship through close relation-ships that are important for them:
    • letting them interact with a person or a group of people that are important for them,
    • to be part of heritage together with a family, people, places, traditions and customs.
    • The most important need of a child is to be appreciated by others.

Empowerment

  • We give the children a certain amount of power, freedom and decision-making opportunities.
    • They have the possibility to decide in a group process
    • and to be responsible for their decisions and behaviour.

Ideals and models

  • We help the children to distinguish between good and bad, truth and lies.
      • We provide the children examples that they are familiar with, that they are able to adopt.
    • We teach them about the important values in life.
    • We present them positive ideals and high standards.
    • The approach is people who teach them to take responsibility for their actions.

We run these activities regularly at clubs for children and youth.

In 2009 we started with systematic support of parental skills development.

Goal

  • Our goal is to help Roma families become a source of understanding of identity, ethnicity, stability, self-confidence, acceptance and self-value.