Our team

Iveta Bartošová

omama, Muránska Dlhá Lúka
Ivetka is one of the most active women in her community. She has  work experience as a cleaner and an assistant in the local community center. She proactively approached the Labor Office and completed a confectioner course. But only thanks to you, donors of Cesta von/Way out, she is able to have her first real job – being an omama.

Anna Husárová

omama, Rokycany

Anka finished special education school. That is the reason why she so keen to help children from poor families with early childhood education. She likes to meet other omamas at the regular training sessions.

Drahuša Koščáková

omama, Kecerovce

Drahuška completed high school. She worked as a religion teacher at a parish and taught Roma children. She also worked in a school canteen and as a seamstress. She decided to work as an omama to help underprivileged children.  
 

Monika Podolinská

mentor, Muránska Dlhá Lúka
Monika is a primary school teacher for the youngest Roma pupils. Due to her work, she was able to gain respect of the children’s parents and to involve them in different projects. In 2016, she received the Biela vrana/White Crow award for her persistent and devoted help to vulnerable Roma children.

Hana Najar

expert methodologist
Hanka is a graduate of the Special Education Program at Comenius University. She is dedicated to working with children in the Play wisely program and to supporting healthy child development of healthy children and children with various disadvantages.
 

Viera Vavreková

office manager

Veja studied Social work at the Faculty of Education of Comenius University, Bratislava. In Cesta von/Way out she is responsible for office management and also supports field supervisions.  
 
 

Helena Hricová

member of the board

Hela is one of the founding members of Cesta von/Way out. She advises the organization on financial and managerial issues.  She works as a financial manager of VIA IURIS.

Denisa Pechová

omama, Kecerovce

Deniska has volunteered many times for Združenie pre lepší život/Association for a Better Life. She lived in Belgium for a few months, where she worked as a health counselor for other Roma from Slovakia. She is now very excited to be able to help to develop the little ones as an omama.
 

Zuzana Jaslová

omama, Chminianske Jakubovany

Zuzka wants to get a high school degree, so as a precondition she decided to complete a “regular” elementary school in Košice. She's a proud omama.
 

Iveta Kótaiová

omama, Sirk

Ivet has very little formal education, but she is all the more motivated to learn. As an omama, she works in a community where no other organization has previously worked. She has a very quiet nature, but she listens and wants to do the best she can for the children.

Paulína Masaryková

mentor, Chminianske Jakubovany

Paulína worked as a teacher at the Primary School in Chminianske Jakubovany in the program Teach for Slovakia. She decided to stay with the community as a mentor. She also works for the Research Institute of Child Psychology and Pathopsychology.
 

Natália Kavecká

expert methodologist

Naty has a Master´s Degree in Special Education from the Comenius University in Bratislava. She completed a certified Play Wisely training. She believes the Montessori approach develops personality through play and teaches children system and order.

Viera Burešová

financial manager

Vierka studied at University of Economics in Bratislava. She is in charge of accounting and taxes. She is a certified tax advisor and auditor and provides her professional services to many companies and non-government organizations.

Pavel Hrica

executive director

Pavel has worked as a program director at the Pontis Foundation. which supported sustainable solutions to poverty. He served as a program director of the Slovak scouts for 9 years, he also helped to launch the Roma boy and girl scouts program in Slovakia which allowed him to gain significant experience with the target group of the Omama program. He is one of the founders of Cesta von/Way out.

E-mail: pavel.hrica@cestavon.sk
Telefón: 00421 917 429 983

Alexandra Giňová

omama, Zborov

Sandra likes to read books and educate herself. She was able to get all the paperwork done to get a mortgage and she built a small, low-budget house next to the Roma settlement. She publicly presented the Omama Program several times.
 

Irma Horváthová

omama, Moldava nad Bodvou

Irma grew up in poverty without any outside support, so she was only able to complete elementary school. However, she cares that her children, as well as children from the program, get the best education and a chance for a better future.

Jana Bayerlová

mentor, Zborov and Rokycany

Janka is a mentor for omamas from Zborov and Rokycany. She also works for the organization Vyrovanávanie šancí/Equal chances. In the past, she conducted field anthropological research in various countries and worked as a social worker.

Andrea Papp

mentor, Moldava nad Bodvou

Andrea teaches at the elementary school in Moldava nad Bodvou. In 2019, her school received the Vnímavá škola/the Perceptive School title for setting up a specific strategy for inclusive education. She knows well the living conditions in Roma communities. 
 

Lucia Horniaková

expert methodologist

Lucka studies acting at the Church Conservatory in Bratislava, but also works as a Play Wisely lecturer and consultant for Omamas and their mentors.
 

Barbora Nosková

development coordinator

Barbora studied at the Department of Civil Society Studies at Charles University, Prague. Previously, she worked as a coordinator of volunteer programs. In Cesta von/ Way out, her main responsibilitis are donors management and CRM implementation.

Oľga Shaw

deputy director, program manager

Oľga has been working in the non-profit sector since graduating with a Master of Social work degree from Augsburg College in the U.S.A. in 2003. She has worked with people on the poverty line in various organizations. She is a co-founder of Cesta von/Way Out and the Deputy Director. Oľga manages the  scaling of the program, coordinates team of mentors, omamas, regional coordinators and developes partnerships.

E-mail: olga.shaw@cestavon.sk
Telefón: 00421 911 866 933

Viera Kováčová

omama, Zborov

Vierka completed high school. As a mediator in the Program of Family and Preschool Education run by Vyrovnávanie šancí/Equal Chances she worked with Roma women. Vierka now works as omama and also as assistant in a local kindergarden.   
 

Ingrida Ferencová

omama, Zborov

Inge worked as a seamstress. She came to support Sandra during the first Omama training and decided to become an omama herself. With the help of DOM.ov organization and their saving program, she will be able to build her own house.

Katarína Šiňanská

mentor, Kecerovce
Katka works as an expert assistant at the Department of Social work of the Košice Philosophical University. She specializes on community development, prevention and the topics of youth and children. Since 2002, she has worked as a social worker in the Roma communities. 
 

Blažena Válentová

mentor, Sirk

Blaženka is a mentor and also works at elementary school in Sirk. She is an active member of local government and she is engaged in afterschool activities with children and youth. Blaženka is a great support for the whole community.
 

Radka Babeľová

program coordinator

Radka studied Law at Comenius University, Bratislava. She worked in Pontis Foundation, later at The Office of the Public Defender of Rights, dealing with segregation of Roma children at schools. She is coordinating education of omamas and field supervisions.

Lenka Czikková

development manager
Lenka studied at the Faculty of Economics of Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica. Before joining the Cesta von/Way out team, she worked at ETP Slovakia, where she focused primarily on education of children and adults from excluded communities. She is responsible for fundraising, campaigns, events.