Vasil Koky

How long have you been involved in community work?

I’ve been involved in community work since January 2021. I’m an active resident of Zadní Přívoz, with the support of community workers from the Diocesan Caritas Ostrava-Opava.

What does community work mean to you?

My inspiration are my own children because I want them not to have to deal with social exclusion in their lives and generally in the future, and to be able to make possible changes. I’m active and I’d like to make a difference in the community. My goal is to activate the other neighbours as well to change the place where we live together.

Why did you become involved in community work?

I’m interested in public affairs, which are often discussed on many levels at the moment. I want to be involved in deciding about the financial possibilities to develop our part of the district where we were born and where our new generation is growing up. I wish we could be perceived as partners, on different levels, so that we can be seen and heard where the Roma people are not spoken of nicely. I’d like to change the attitudes and mindsets of everyone we want to have discussions and dialogues with, and for the Czech society to see us as fully-fledged citizens of the city.