As director of the NGO Romano Rat, an organization funded by the Roma Integration Program sub-grants program, Milena Adamová has been praised for her tireless work to improve Roma rights in her area. She is a shining example of the impact individuals can have at the community level and has been an invaluable part of the Roma Integration Program. Her NGO was established in 2004 and since then it has been active in Prunéřov, Czech Republic, dedicating its efforts to improving living conditions by reaching out to families in need and connecting them to resources for drug abuse, legal aid, social counseling, and educational services, or organizing them to advocate for these services.

Ms. Adamová sat down with for an interview with aspiring journalist Vera Duždová, a Roma Integration Program media initiative beneficiary. Ms. Duždová conducted this interview while working as an intern at Mladá fronta Dnes, a leading national newspaper in the Czech Republic.

When did you realize that you wanted to help the Roma people?

I started to confront my reality as a Roma at school. There I realized the differences between us and them, the majority, and also among us, the Roma. I began to understand that not all Roma people share similar economic and social backgrounds. I feel very lucky to have born in the environment that I was. At home, I never lacked basic necessities. I had a normal childhood. I had access to education. Later I realized that I was really fortunate, as a big percentage of the Roma from my community are not so lucky.

A decisive step in my involvement in social work with Roma happened 4 years ago, when, encouraged by a friend of mine, I decided to register in the Social & Law School in Prague. It was a last-minute decision, but it was the right one, and I was accepted. After that I worked with "Path of Hope," a local NGO in Jirkov. But the most important event was attending Roma Integration Program seminars. After attending the training, my father encouraged me to create a new NGO in Chomutov. And so I did. It was a great opportunity to found a new initiative to support marginalized Roma communities.

Now you coordinate a social work project in Prunéřov funded by the USAID-funded Roma Integration Program. What is the situation like there?

This project helps people who were moved into shanty houses next to the railway station. The conditions are terrible, especially for the children. Of the 275 inhabitants of this ghetto, at least 110 are of school age. Ninety percent of the ghetto inhabitants were moved there unlawfully. They were promised the situation would only be temporary, that after a period of time they would be allowed to return to their flats. Our NGO tries to make life a little bit easier for ghetto residents. We mainly help Roma with outstanding debts and solve administrative issues with the local authorities.

How has your work affected your personal relationships in the community?

I have good relationships both with Roma and non-Roma in my community. Although I am a Romani woman, I grew up among gadze (a Romani term for a non-Rom), so many of my closest friends are non-Roma, including my partner. Unfortunately because of my work I have lost some of my Roma friends - they could not understand why I work in these ghettos, and cannot see that we are making changes there. But this is what I want to do and my true friends should understand and accept it.

What would you like to do in the future?

I would like to continue working in Prunéřov, developing new activities and initiatives to help Roma communities. There is a lot of work to do. Also I would like to continue my education at the university in the near future. But I feel satisfied with my life. It is not always easy to find work that you love, so I feel very lucky.

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