BAGázs Public Benefit Association

BAGázs Public Benefit Association (Hungarian: BAGázs Közhasznú Egyesület) is a Hungarian nonprofit organization founded in 2011 that works to promote inclusion between Roma and non-Roma people. Its mission is to build a society in which everyone can reach their goals with equal opportunities. To this end it designs and implements long-term, complex programs with children and adults living in Roma segregated settlements, cooperating with local institutions and actors of the majority society. The organization's story began in 2010 with a summer camp in the Roma settlement of Bag in Pest County. Its founder and current co-chair, Emőke Both, worked there as a probation officer and encountered high crime rates and drug use. Together with the local child welfare service she organized a two-week camp in which Budapest volunteers held skills-development, sports and craft activities for the children. After the camp the volunteers returned regularly to hold weekend sessions. In 2011 the BAGázs Public Benefit Association was formally established. In the following years its programs gradually expanded: mentoring programs were launched, volunteer activities under the School Community Service (IKSZ) framework began, and the BAGázs FC football team was created. In 2013 a mentoring program for adults started, which later developed into the Women's Club. Around the same time BAGázs built partnerships with several corporate and civil partners. Responding to local needs, the Legal Clinic program was created to help residents enforce their rights. It was followed by a debt-management program and, in 2016, by an adult education initiative supporting further study, vocational qualification and labor-market integration. In 2017 the organization also began work in the Roma segregated settlement of Dány in Pest County, applying the methodology developed earlier in Bag. In 2018 the BAGázs Bazár community space opened in Budapest, serving simultaneously as a community venue, a social enterprise and a Budapest base for the association's programs. BAGázs currently works in the Roma segregated settlements of Bag and Dány. Its programs are built on local needs and support participants from childhood to adulthood. Key goals include preventing the reproduction of disadvantage, widening educational and labor-market opportunities, and supporting rights enforcement. Programs include child and youth mentoring, study-support sessions, early childhood development, debt management and legal aid services, and initiatives supporting adult skills development and labor-market integration. Around 100–150 volunteers take part in the organization's work each year, and it works with roughly 250 children and adults living in the settlements. Close to twenty staff members contribute to implementing the programs. Sponsors include BlackRock's innovation lab and Morgan Stanley's Budapest analytical center. BAGázs's guiding principle is to achieve change not through distributing donations but through long-term cooperation and empowerment. Its programs are always built on local needs and are carried out with the active participation of community members. The organization places special emphasis on volunteering, impact measurement, transparent operation and making systemic problems visible. Its Legal Clinic program won the international SozialMarie social innovation award in 2016. In the same year the organization received the Civil Award from the NIOK Foundation. In 2021 it earned the Ethical Fundraiser certification, and in 2023 it received the Prima Primissima award.

The history of BAGázs began in 2010 with a summer camp in the Roma settlement of Bag in Pest County. The association's founder and current co-chair, Emőke Both, worked there as a probation officer and encountered high crime rates and drug use. Cooperating with the local child welfare service, she organized a two-week camp in which Budapest volunteers held skills-development, sports and craft activities for children living in the settlement. After the camp the volunteers returned regularly to hold weekend sessions. In 2011 the BAGázs Public Benefit Association was formally established. In the following years its programs gradually expanded: mentoring programs were launched, volunteer activities carried out under the School Community Service (IKSZ) framework began, and the BAGázs FC football team was created. The organization's work reached more and more children and families. In 2013 a mentoring program targeting adults started, which later developed into the Women's Club. Around the same period BAGázs established cooperation with several corporate and civil partners. Responding to local needs, the Legal Clinic program was created to help residents of the settlement enforce their rights. It was followed by a debt-management program and, in 2016, by an adult education initiative supporting further study, vocational qualification and labor-market integration. In 2017 the organization also began work in the Roma segregated settlement of Dány in Pest County, applying the methodology developed earlier in Bag. In 2018 the BAGázs Bazár community space opened in Budapest, serving simultaneously as a community venue, a social enterprise and one of the association's Budapest bases for its programs. BAGázs currently works in the Roma segregated settlements of Bag and Dány. Its programs are built on local needs and support participants from childhood to adulthood. Key goals include preventing the reproduction of disadvantage, widening educational and labor-market opportunities, and supporting rights enforcement. Programs include child and youth mentoring, study-support sessions, early childhood development, debt management and legal aid services, and initiatives supporting adult skills development and labor-market integration. Around 100–150 volunteers take part in the organization's work each year, and it works with roughly 250 children and adults living in the settlements. Close to twenty staff members contribute to implementing the programs. Sponsors include BlackRock's innovation lab and Morgan Stanley's Budapest analytical center. BAGázs's guiding principle is to achieve change not through distributing donations but through long-term cooperation and empowerment. Its programs are always built on local needs and are carried out with the active participation of community members. The organization places special emphasis on volunteering, impact measurement, transparent operation and making systemic problems visible. Its Legal Clinic program won the international SozialMarie social innovation award in 2016. In the same year the organization received the Civil Award from the NIOK Foundation. In 2021 it earned the Ethical Fundraiser certification, and in 2023 it received the Prima Primissima award.

• 2023

  Received the Prima Primissima award.

• 2021

  Earned the Ethical Fundraiser certification.

• 2018

  BAGázs Bazár community space opened in Budapest as a community venue, social enterprise and program base.

• 2017

  Work began in the Roma segregated settlement of Dány, applying the Bag methodology.

• 2016

  Adult education initiative launched; Legal Clinic won the SozialMarie social innovation award; organization received the Civil Award from the NIOK Foundation.

• 2013

  Mentoring program for adults launched, later developing into the Women's Club; cooperation with corporate and civil partners expanded.

• 2011

  BAGázs Public Benefit Association formally established.

• 2010

  Summer camp in the Roma settlement of Bag, organized by Emőke Both with Budapest volunteers; volunteers later returned for weekend sessions.

Long-term, complex, empowerment-based programs in Roma segregated settlements rather than one-off donation distribution; emphasis on volunteering, impact measurement, transparency and systemic change.

• Legal Clinic (Jogklinika)

  Program helping residents of Roma settlements enforce their rights; won the SozialMarie social innovation award in 2016.

• Child and youth mentoring programs

  Long-term mentoring and study-support activities for children and youth in Bag and Dány.

• Women's Club

  Evolved from the adult mentoring program launched in 2013.

• Debt management program

  Service supporting residents in managing debt and achieving goals such as employment or moving out of the settlement.

• Adult education initiative

  Launched in 2016 to support further study, vocational qualification and labor-market integration.

• BAGázs FC football team

  Football team created in the years after the association's founding.

• BAGázs Bazár community space

  Opened in Budapest in 2018 as a community venue, social enterprise and program base.

1. 1Bagázs Közhasznú Egyesület - Csak esélyt adunk!bagazs.org
2. 2BAGázs Public Benefit Association - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3BAGázs Közhasznú Egyesület - Hungarian Wikipediahu.wikipedia.org