GT in Budapest!: Eger Day 2 and 3

Eger Day two started off with a traditional Hungarian breakfast at out hotel and then we headed off into the countryside. The main goal of Day 2 was to focus on the ROMA communities and learn more about the Carpathian Foundations mission to remove them from stone cellars, and integrate them into the community. Throughout the course of the day we visited with many Non-Profits all of which focused on trying to help the ROMA people. We ate lunch at one of the traditional cellar houses, now owned by the Association for the Roma People of Szomolya. At lunch we were hosted by a ROMA family who was kind enough to cook us a traditional Hungarian Meal. The meal was amazing and afterwards we went to visit more cellar houses. The cellar houses that we visited were mainly in decay. None of them had running water, electricity, or even a solid floor. It was truly amazing to see the condition that the ROMA people endured for so long.

This is a traditional Cellar which is now in ruins. The cellar in the picture is a very high quality one. Most of the cellars that we saw were just large enough for a current family of 4, yet families of as many as 10 would live in these conditions. After a day full of site visits and touring cellar developments we returned to Eger and enjoyed a traditional Hungarian Dinner with the Carpathian Foundation and reflected on the days events.

Day 3

Eger Day three began the same as day two. We enjoyed a nice breakfast and were once again off to visit with Non-Profits involved in helping the ROMA people. The organization we visited on Day 3 was located just on the outskirts of Eger, in Felnemet, and was not only there to help the ROMA. The organization, called SZETA which stands for The Eger Foundation for Support of the Poor Fund, also doubled as a Foster Home for local children. The home was set up to house as many as 12 children at any time. The Organization was also focused on helping the local ROMA population which was mainly located two minutes away by foot. The community we saw was not only living in a high level of poverty but they were living with high amounts of people in each home. The community has been updated greatly in the past few years due to the groups efforts. Roads have been added, water has become more accessible, and basic electricity has become available to those homes that can afford it. It was a great experience to see the actual community that was being helped by the foundation. Dr. Zsuzsa Farkas, the leader of SZETA, was a great example of the passion it takes to be successful in the non-profit sector. She has been involved in the civil society since before the revolution of 1989 and has fought to keep her organize alive and to build it. When she was first starting the foundation she had to campaign in order to get even the smallest things done. It isn't easy to accomplish something when the community you are trying to help is even against you. It was great to see how passionate she was about he work and how she overcame all of the struggles of the past in order to be as successful as she is today.