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A raffle ticket comes to life...
At the raffle held during this year's St. John's Ball I won the "Presence Tour" prize. The Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta is meeting the challenge - perhaps one of the biggest challenges! - to improve the living conditions of people living in some of the poorest Hungarian settlements, through its Presence project, also known as the "Catching-up Settlements" ("FETE") programme. Among the pillars of the programme are: housing improvement, debt reduction, job creation, children's education, health, drug use prevention.
We visited several Presence Points in Nógrád County. Our first stop was Szécsény. Here two tasteful and comfortable apartments have been built and arranged as tourist accommodation. Judit Szabadhegÿ, Mariann Czirják and their friends were actively involved in the restoration, painting the walls and furniture. When I spoke to Miklós Vecsei, the Prime Minister's Commissioner for FETE, about our trip, he was delighted to note how successfully the Charity Service and the Order of the Knights had worked together here.
We also met many dedicated and enthusiastic (mostly Roma) staff in other locations, and got a varied picture of their work. The Presence Project works in municipalities having a large Roma population. Results are measured in small steps, but they are very important for the final outcome. After five years, the substantial government subsidy is coming to an end, so this puts an even greater burden on the Charity Service.
We also visited the Malteser sewing workshop in Mátraverebély, where, among other things, as part of the so-called "Refarmer" action, old denim jeans are repurposed by industrious hands into attractive utility items such as cushions, gym bags and upholstery. But felt bags are also made here. Online shop: shop.maltaimanufaktura.hu There's always a good place for used denim clothing here, and Judit Szabadhegÿ is happy to help.
We had a lovely intermezzo visiting the Rose World dessert making workshop where graceful female hands make all kinds of things from this wonderful flower: rose lemonade, cakes, soap...
Our accommodation for the two-day trip was the Prónay Castle in Alsópetény, where we were assigned elegant suites. The castle, built in 1750, has been a hotel and event venue since 2011.
To sum up our visit, I can say that we spent two very meaningful and interesting days in Nógrád province, with the excellent organisation and accompaniment of Betty Káli, a Malteser Charity Service staff member, to whom I would like to express my thanks. I am happy to publish some photos in the gallery below.
Finally, I would like to draw your attention to the FETE café on the top floor of the Fény Street market in Budapest, where, in addition to coffee, I also recommend the delicious and special dishes of the chef. Here you can also buy the products of the FETE workshops: chutneys, jams, syrups, etc.
Zsuzsa Máriássy
Gallery
