The Omama Program
The first 1,000 days have a profound impact on our lives. Omamas, women coming from poor marginalized communities, help mothers learn how to support their children’s development from day one. This gives them a solid foundation to build upon when they enter preschool and school.
How does it work?
1. Understanding the issue
Thousands of children living in generational poverty face significant challenges from the very start. Difficult living conditions and chronic stress negatively affect their healthy development.
2. Our strategy for change
Trained Roma women, known as omamas, regularly visit families with babies, toddlers and small children to help their parents learn how to prepare their children for school.
3. Our vision for the future
We are committed to ensuring that every child born in poverty has access to early support to unlock their potential. Our goal is to help them grow up into successful and thriving individuals.
What people are saying about us
I can see that the OMAMA program is making a real difference. Children who had lessons with Ivetka within the OMAMA program are more confident and used to engaging in similar activities. Whenever I need the children to do something, those who had regular lessons with Ivetka are the first ones to join in. They are the ones setting the pace and motivating others.
Omám
Mentoriek
Komunít
Detí vo veku od 0-4 roky
Program locations
The OMAMA program was first launched as a pilot in three poor marginalized communities. Today, we are already active in 36 such communities.
We would not be able to keep the program running long-term and expand it to more communities without the support of the dedicated individuals and organizations who believe in our mission. We aim for our program to achieve high social return by keeping our expenses low and maximizing our impact. Become part of the change and join our mission. With the support of the state and the people like you, we intend to expand our project to as many poor communities as possible.
Imapct of the Omama program
In cooperation with Oxford University, we measure the impact of the OMAMA program by comparing the neurodevelopment of 2-year-olds in our program with children from control groups and the majority population.
The results will help us further improve the work of omamas and provide solid evidence for advocating for the program’s integration into public systems.
