Člověk v Tísni (People in Need)

Člověk v Tísni (People in Need) has its roots in the Epicentrum foundation that united dissidents and Velvet Revolution era leaders as well as journalists in 1992. When its members collected a then unheard of amount of 30 million CZK to help war victims in Sarajevo, it was clear to everyone that the organization´s activities should be expanded. In 1994 Epicentrum teamed up with Czech Public Service Television to form People in Need.

In the fifteen years of its existence, People in Need´s public awareness campaigns have provided unbiased information for journalists aimed at informing the public both in the Czech Republic and abroad. In addition, the organization is active in 17 countries worldwide, such as Afghanistan, Namibia, Romania and Sri Lanka, providing relief and development work.

At home, social integration programs are the heart of People in Need´s activities.

These programs focus on socially excluded localities, formerly simply labeled Roma enclaves, and range from helping the adults who live there with housing, unemployment issues or debt management to matching up volunteers with children who live in those neighborhoods. People in Need volunteers visit families to help the local children, who often have difficulty succeeding in school, with their homework. “When the parents see the volunteers work with their kids, in some cases it really makes a difference and motivates the parents to do more for the education of their children,” says Tomáš Urban, spokesman for People in Need.

Another important pillar of People in Need is its international development aid. A good example is its mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was founded two years ago. The mission aims at providing relief to the countless rape victims that were one of the consequences of the lingering civil war, which can be described as one of the most forgotten conflicts in the world. People in Need has built ten houses to accommodate rape victims that often become homeless due to the fact that rape is still considered a social stigma. Life in those houses, aside from providing much needed shelter, gives the women an opportunity to gain new self-confidence by making their own living at the soap factory People in Need has helped them build.

Sometimes humanitarian help is needed at home, and so People in Need brought the necessary assistance to victims of the floods in 1997, 2002, 2006 and 2009 in the Czech Republic as well.

For those who wish to become regular contributors, a project titled “Real Help” is ideal. Funds donated to this project are used for manifold causes, ranging from providing clean water for children in Angola; funding school supplies for People in Need´s many missions or helping with the development of a health system in Afghanistan. To contribute, send an SMS with the text “DMS ROK SKUTEK” to the number 87777 and each month for a year, you will contribute 30 CZK to the causes and be informed of what your money is being used for. You can end your contribution by sending an SMS with the text “DMS STOP SKUTEK.” Should you wish to make a one-time contribution of 30 CZK, send an SMS with the title “DMS SKUTEK” to the same number.