A devoted Roma activist, committed to lifting this disenfranchised minority out of abject poverty, Laza uses his clout and charisma to influence local development decisions.
"I am fortunate to live in the 21st Century," Laza says, matter of factly, "but these refugees, these citizens of this community, they live in the 11th Century. That is wrong, and needs to be changed."
Laza is right, and through the new, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Community Revitalization through Democratic Action program,
"I am fortunate to live in the 21st Century," Laza says, matter of factly, "but these refugees, these citizens of this community, they live in the 11th Century. That is wrong, and needs to be changed."
Laza is right, and through the new, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Community Revitalization through Democratic Action program,
Mercy Corps is empowering civil society leaders like Laza to make such needed change.
"If you come here in 10 years and see doctors, scientists, engineers, then that will mean improvement, that something has been done," Laza said. "But if you give help to someone only once, it won't mean anything. Instead of giving a fish, you must teach people to catch their own."
The young refugee turns, goes inside the one-room shack and brings back a woman, who appears to be the leader of his 17-member refugee community.
"If you come here in 10 years and see doctors, scientists, engineers, then that will mean improvement, that something has been done," Laza said. "But if you give help to someone only once, it won't mean anything. Instead of giving a fish, you must teach people to catch their own."
The young refugee turns, goes inside the one-room shack and brings back a woman, who appears to be the leader of his 17-member refugee community.
She looks tired, and dirty, and is breastfeeding an infant. She avoids formalities and in her Gypsy language, cuts right to the chase.
"It's the rats. They are actually eating my children," she says.
As she speaks, the young man holds his two hands about half a meter apart, as if his community leader had just told of catching a fish.
[Editor's Note: Laza is a pseudonym.]
Layton Croft is an independent writer who wrote this story for Mercy Corps.
Reprinted with permission of Mercy Corps.
http://www.mercycorps.org
"It's the rats. They are actually eating my children," she says.
As she speaks, the young man holds his two hands about half a meter apart, as if his community leader had just told of catching a fish.
[Editor's Note: Laza is a pseudonym.]
Layton Croft is an independent writer who wrote this story for Mercy Corps.
Reprinted with permission of Mercy Corps.
http://www.mercycorps.org