News in English Pon, 20.04.2020. 12:38

Many Roma families face an existential threat due to coronavirus

TUZLA, April 20 (FENA) - Many Roma families face an existential threat due to coronavirus pandemics, especially because they cannot collect secondary raw materials. The Association of Roma Women “Better Future” has distributed over 200 packages to Roma families through the Women's Roma Network.

Indira Bajramović, President of the association, said the situation on the ground they found was disastrous.

“People live in very difficult conditions, children are especially at risk. They are all multi-member families and all are unemployed. So we launched a grocery shopping action. The funding we received was from the Agency for Gender Equality of BiH through a Swedish-funded FIGAP program. We also had some funds from Soros that we received to support the work of our network,” Bajramović said for FENA.

Thus, funds from projects at the Association “Better Future” were channeled to help Roma families.

There are many remote Roma communities in the Tuzla Canton where nothing is accessible to people, there are many disabled people, and in the Roma community of Koksara in Lukavac, people live without electricity and water. They live without any income for food and medicine.

Although they also asked for help in the Tuzla City Administration, The Association of Roma Women “Better Future” did not get any help or understanding and they even received a written rejection.