• Organiser

Organiser

The People in Need foundation was established in 1992 by a group of war reporters and foreign correspondents who were no longer satisfied with importing information to the Czech Republic; instead, they began exporting aid. It gradually became established as a professional humanitarian organisation focused on providing aid to crisis areas and supporting adherence to human rights around the world.

Over the past 20 years, it has grown into one of the biggest non-profit organisations in Central Europe and has also become active in the field of education and helping those living in social exclusion. Today People in Need is focused on four key areas:

 

Humanitarian aid and development cooperation

 

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  People in Need provides immediate humanitarian aid to people in distress during natural disasters or military crises.
• It focuses on long-term aid to people living in poverty and inadequate living conditions. In countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe, it implements development programmes designed to improve residents’ access to education, healthcare and potable water; adherence to hygiene standards; development of local food sources; and people’s involvement in processes that influence goings on in their country.
• Its humanitarian team has provided assistance numerous times during flooding in the Czech Republic.
• In 20 years, the People in Need foundation has brought humanitarian aid and development assistance to more than 40 countries.

 

Support for human rights

 

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  From the start, helping dissidents and supporting civic society in repressive countries and states undergoing a democratic transformation has been one of the cornerstones of People in Need’s philosophy.
• Its human rights team is focused on work in several dictatorships, authoritarian regimes and countries where the experience of the switch to democracy is similar to that of the Czech Republic.
• At present, programmes supporting human rights are being carried out in Cuba, Burma, Belarus, Russia, Moldova and Ukraine.
• People in Need runs the annual One World International Festival of Human Rights Documentaries.
• People in Need presents the Homo Homini Award annually to people who have made a significant contribution to defending human rights and advocating democracy.

 

Social integration programmes

 

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  Its social integration programme team supports the social advancement of poor and endangered families by means of advisory and educational services.
• In over 70 Bohemian, Moravian and Slovak municipalities, it provides support for local self-government, leading to social cohesion and municipal development.
• It supports children from socially weak families in obtaining the education that will later boost their chances on the labour market.
• It motivates parents to take an active approach, not only in their children’s education but also in dealing with the family’s overall living situation.
• It looks for solutions in cooperating with schools, local administrative agencies, the police and other non-profit organisations.
• Clients/partners play an active role in all activities.

 

Education and information programmes

 

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  People in Need ensures that Czech society is better informed about the issues of poverty, migration and human rights abuses and works to reduce racial and ethnic prejudice and xenophobia.
• The Varianty educational programme is chiefly focused on university teachers and students, for whom it prepares seminars, conferences and workshops on intercultural and global development education.
• The One World in Schools programme works with teachers, pupils and students, providing them with documentary films and other accompanying teaching materials related to topical issues facing today’s world and modern history.
• The Rozvojka and Migration information programmes work to raise awareness of important social issues by means of the media.

 

 

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