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News server Romea.cz. Everything about Roma in one place

Slovakia: Entrepreneur organizes food distribution to the needy

19 January 2017
2 minute read

The entrepreneur Marián Markovič has been organizing humanitarian aid since 9 January in the town of Komárna in southern Slovakia for homeless persons and the socially vulnerable. He reached out to local restaurants Alegra, Fiest, and Neptún, which have been providing him food, and posted to his Facebook profile asking people to give the needy warm clothing.

As of the start of this week more than 1 000 people have shared Markovič’s Facebook post. Inhabitants of Komárna receive clothing and food daily beginning at 14:00 beneath the viaduct that leads to housing estate VII.

Roughly 50 people have been taking regular advantage of the aid. Children are among the needy.

Markovič is doing his best to be there every day, to assist with the distribution, and to provide psychological support to those who come for aid. “I could no longer watch as politicians in our country ignore the fact that people are living outdoors in freezing temperatures and that welfare benefits are so low one cannot even buy the most important things like food and medicine. I also had a very difficult childhood and I know what it’s like to have nothing. Only somebody like that is able to help others from the heart,” Markovič told news server Romea.cz.

When asked what motivated him to organize the collection, Markovič said:  “It fulfills me and makes me happy to aid others.” People abroad are interested in his activity as well.

“It’s had an enormous response, people are even contacting me from the Czech Republic who want to help also,” he said. “I have one big wish, and that is that people will organize a collection like this in their own towns.”

“We never know when we ourselves might end up in such a situation,” Markovič told news server Romea.cz. The entrepreneur is from Nitra, also in southern Slovakia.

He has worked as the manager of the famous Romani band Maco a Mamuko, who sing about him in a song called “Ampulka”, which tells the story of his life and has been viewed online more than three million times. He has dedicated himself to previous charity drives as well, organizing aid for families living in residential hotels.

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