The Biztos Kezdet Kid’s Center was opened in the village known as the fresco-village, Bódvalenke on 29 May. The program is a lifesaver for the inhabitants where more than half of the population are children and 28 of their mothers are younger than 18.
The Biztos Kezdet Kid’s Center is a nursery. More specifically, it is not only the children that attend in order to thrive but their mothers as well. It is a great progress for Bódvalenke, where the per capita income was 8,000 Forints last year. In addition, numerous teenage mothers have never been taught housekeeping, money handling or elementary hygiene.
On Thursday, every single person in the village, big and small attended the opening ceremony. Women cooked bean goulash early to welcome the participants. The program – since it was about the Center – opened with the local children’s choir. Then Sándor Pál, the curator of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid which purchased and renovated the Center’s building, proposed a toast. Sándor Pál emphasized that Church Aid programs serve families and children, because children determine the future of the country. He added, “If we look around, many pleased children can be seen here, despite the modest circumstances, they are still glad. But, it is our responsibility to alleviate poverty and not allow it to constrain their opportunities. It is important for us that the children studying here become intellectual adults who can support others in inclusion.”
The Deputy Minister of State for Social Inclusion, Dr. Péter Garai, spoke about the mutual experience that could be felt in the opening of the Kid’s Center. “Common experience holds society together, which starts with our children’s births. When social collaboration and acceptance strengthen, it will be a positive message that says it does not matter if we are poor or rich, Roma or non-Roma. We have to wake up society to its importance, as the Biztos Kezdet Kid’s Center does,” said Garai, adding that he hoped government arrangements would expand upon the projects.
The Center welcomes mothers and their children under the age of five. Besides playful improvements, specialists and psychologists if necessary, work with them. Mothers can be supported from the beginning of their pregnancy. In addition, a cooking club is planned, and washing up is possible too. Additionally, mothers can come here to use the first washing machine of the village.
The Edelény County Association runs the Center for one year as part of the TÁMOP program. After the expiration of this program, the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid will adopt the house. Minister of Human Resources, Zoltán Balog, and the H. Stepic Cee Charity assisted in the implementation of the project.
Translated by Dau Thi Huong
Originally published on jobbadni.hu