Emil Voráč: Czech Govt COVID-19 measures have not stopped our work, but the poorest are being forgotten

ROMEA TV has interviewed the director of the Khamoro organization in the Czech Republic, Emil Voráč, who is continuing to run community services and a food bank in Chodov and the surrounding area, despite the situation with the spread of COVID-19. “In Chodov and the surrounding area we are the only ones providing aid,” he told ROMEA TV.

“I know the town of Chodov sometimes sends a food package to somebody, but people are telling us that no assistance has been provided to them, which is why they are contacting us in large numbers, all at once,” the director told ROMEA TV. “We have also managed to successfully complete one of our projects with the people here.”

“At the beginning there was 93 % unemployment here, now 90 % of the people are employed. I think that is a very good result,” the director said.

Voráč is a recipient of the Karel Janeček Foundation’s award in the category of “Kind Person” for his lifelong work with the socially vulnerable and has been providing aid to Romani people and others. He began his working life as a miner and later also worked as a chemist; after the 1989 Velvet Revolution, he established the Romani Club for Interpersonal Relationships and currently leads Khamoro, a public benefit corporation.