Seventeen Roma refugees fled their home in Kosovo two years ago, and now they all squat in this one-room mud shack. It is located next to the town dump and houses giant rats that eat at the small children. Photo: Layton Croft
Community can mean vastly different things to different people.
Earlier this year a tall young man squatting in a decrepit mud shelter on land that doesn't belong to him, located next to the local dump in a southeastern Serbian town, was asked how he defines community. He squinted, and pointed back, towards the shack.
"I live with seventeen people in one room."
Earlier this year a tall young man squatting in a decrepit mud shelter on land that doesn't belong to him, located next to the local dump in a southeastern Serbian town, was asked how he defines community. He squinted, and pointed back, towards the shack.
"I live with seventeen people in one room."
Indeed, for this poor Roma refugee, who fled his home in Kosovo two years before, community can mean nothing and everything all at once.
Mercy Corps has worked in this town and others across southern Serbia since July 2001 to revitalize communities through small infrastructure projects conceived and co-managed by local community development councils.
Laza, almost 50, is an active member of the Mercy Corps development council in this town.
Mercy Corps has worked in this town and others across southern Serbia since July 2001 to revitalize communities through small infrastructure projects conceived and co-managed by local community development councils.
Laza, almost 50, is an active member of the Mercy Corps development council in this town.