Intergenerational poverty is a problem for the entire community, not just for the people who live in it. Because a village can only thrive to the extent that its most vulnerable residents thrive. This is how the mayor of Krivany, the newest community where we are implementing the UPre program for women, sees it. And this is being done in cooperation with the municipality and the community center. How are we doing?
“Krivany is a small village with just under 1,300 residents, 280 of whom belong to the Roma community.” The mayor has already approached several large organizations about working with this community, but so far without success. “That is one of the reasons why, in November 2025, they responded very positively to our proposal to expand the UPre program for women to Krivian,” explains program manager Jana Urban.
Over the following months, efforts focused on building the team, familiarizing ourselves with the local environment, establishing partnerships with local stakeholders, and recruiting women for the UPre program. In March 2026, we were able to launch the training program itself. Účastníčky sa stretávajú raz týždenne na lekciách zameraných na rozvoj zručností a zdravého sebavedomia, ktoré potrebujú nielen preto, aby si našli a udržali prácu, ale aby mohli viesť sebestačný život.
An important partner in the program is not only the municipality but also the community center, which helps participants get to know the community, organizes recreational activities for children during educational sessions, and has also assisted us in recruiting participants.
The first concrete steps
Another positive sign of this collaboration is that the municipality was inspired by the UPre ženy program and hired one of its participants, Dagmara Balážová, who had previously worked as a volunteer at the community center for a long time.
We’re moving on
The first few months in Krivany show that the program’s success hinges on cooperation, gradual on-the-ground work, and realistic expectations. The UPre Women program will continue in the area, with an emphasis on connecting with village and community life.
This project for women in Krivany is made possible thanks to support from the European Union under the Program Slovakia. Our goal is for at least 20 women from Krivany to have the opportunity to develop their skills and gain work experience. Thanks to this financial support, we will gradually expand the program to other locations as well.
