The following is from the Cesta von Facebook page. It is used with permission and has been lightly edited. Cesta von is a nonprofit organization in Slovakia using Getting Ahead with Roma communities. Learn more about Cesta von at https://cestavon.sk/en/.
One of the graduates of Napredovan (Getting Ahead), who never worked and took care of her family all her life, realized after years: “I’m still young enough to end up like this!” She did a nursing course, found a job, is completing her education. She also wants to get her high school diploma to be an example to her children that change is possible.
In Zborovo, we solemnly finished the third round of the Getting Ahead program, which helps people to get rid of generational poverty and find stability.
Changes that Getting Ahead has brought
One of the clients stopped smoking after understanding how much this addiction costs her. Another realized her addiction to phone and social networks, found a job, and has limited time on her mobile phone.
For another, the program was therapy, where she found respect and acceptance but also a new look at the middle class world and resources she discovered.
Many women learned to plan their finances and started saving and storing in a reserve, which they aptly named on furt dačo, which means “there is always something you need money for.” One of the participants was able to get rid of the circle of bribes, which she herself described with the words: “It’s liberating. I found out that it is possible to live differently”
Thanks to working on themselves, women in Getting Ahead have adopted the ability to respond calmly even in demanding situations, which has had a domino effect on their children and families.
The Getting Ahead facilitator was an experienced mentor from the FILIP program: Janka Kováčikova Klárová.
Getting ahead is not just a program—it’s a new beginning. We thank all participants for their courage, and we keep our fingers crossed for further progress.
The aha! Process Getting Ahead program engages investigators (participants) in exploring the realities of poverty in their communities and how those realities impact them. They also explore the causes of poverty, the “hidden rules” of economic class, and ways to develop resources and build stable lives. Getting Ahead graduates build relationships across class lines and often join the decision-making tables in their communities.
