HEKS/EPER is making a difference in the «Church-run social projects (diaconia)» in Hungary
As part of inter-church cooperation, HEKS has for decades maintained close ties with the Reformed Church in Hungary (RCH). With a 16-per cent share of the population and 1 200 congregations, it is the country's second largest religious community and an important social institution. The RCH advocates mainly for the Roma population and for people with a disability because, by nation-wide comparison, the Roma population have a markedly lower level of education, worse job prospects and are more affected by poverty and discrimination. HEKS/EPER supports the RCH in developing projects to educate and help Roma children and adolescents shape their lives. The RCH also organizes leisure activities and holidays for otherwise abled people.
Facts
In 2019, HEKS/EPER supported diaconal projects run by some 20 church parishes of the Reformed Church in Hungary. They benefited 1100 disadvantaged Roma children as well as some 80 refugees. HEKS/EPER also supported church-run social events for 1100 young people.
The Reformed Church and its diaconal institutions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East assume their social responsibility through their commitment to the weakest in society. HEKS/EPER supports the Reformed Churches in this endeavour. They provide home care services for elderly and care-dependent people, day care centres for children with disabilities as well as counselling and women's shelters for victims of domestic violence. They also promote social and job market integration for the Roma and other minorities that face discrimination. Through their active involvement, church organizations often play a pioneering role and strive to ensure that the government co-finances or itself provides important public services for the weakest in society.
Hungary Country Programme
The Reformed Church advocates for the disadvantaged
HEKS/EPER supports the Reformed Church in Hungary in developing projects for Roma children and young people and in its work for the inclusion of otherwise abled people.
Eastern Europe Regional Programme
Promoting inclusion for the Roma
Taking a holistic programme approach, HEKS/EPER fosters the social inclusion of the Roma population in Hungary, Kosovo, Romania and Serbia.
