The fourth meeting of the international Social(i)Makers project took place from June 24-26, 2019. This time, the project partners, including the Social Innovation Department of the Social Innovation Center (FFW), had the pleasure of visiting Slovakia. Nadácia Pontis, the organizing partner, invited us to a small town in the east of the country – Spissky Hrhov, choosing a location far from the capital for a reason. This somewhat less accessible venue was intended as a prelude to a conversation about the true face of the country, distinct from that presented by Bratislava. Discussions on the development of social entrepreneurship and addressing social problems through innovative solutions addressed the specific nature of Spissky Hrhov, which is largely shaped by the Roma community.
Participants were welcomed by Vladimir Ledecky, mayor of Spissky Hrhov, who presented the challenges the municipality faced and the achievements of the social enterprise Hrhov Service to date. Michal Smietanka, who has been actively involved in the development of social entrepreneurship and supporting the Roma community for many years, then discussed the operation of Hrhov Service and invited us to a Roma settlement in the neighboring town of Roskovce. A report from the visit can be found here.
We invite you to read the New York Times article describing the community of Spissky Hrhov.
