Ten years ago, he found out through a friend that Diaconia’s special needs school in Prague was looking for a new director. He had the qualification for such a position, but he did not have the experience. “I like accepting challenges and I had a feeling I would come across many of them at Diaconia,” Milan Černý explains. In fact, he is facing one of the biggest challenges just now: the special needs school in Michle, called V Zápolí, needs to significantly broaden its capacity in order to be able to help more families that have children with a severe handicap.   Continue reading We accept students that are not accepted at state schools Interview with Milan Černý, director of a school for children with severe handicaps, on broadening the school’s capacity →

A story is told: Thirty years ago, when Diaconia resumed its activities, new schools and centres were created as if out of nowhere, thanks to the decisions and enthusiasm of the members of the Evangelical Church. It is different today, though not quite. Even in the 21st century, new Diaconia centres are being created out of scratch. Continue reading From criticism to deeds. Why they decided to found Diaconia in Svitavy and build a dignified home for the elderly →

My interview with Pavel Novák, head of Diaconia’s low-threshold clubs in Jablonec nad Nisou, took place on-line, like most things do during these difficult times. However, despite not meeting in person, we did get to see and hear each other, and our meeting made me feel quite certain that Pavel Novák was the right man for this job. I’m sure the Roma people, “his Gypsies”, trust him. Continue reading You have to be a bit of a fool not to lose hope →

Proceeds from the Diaconal Lent Collection enabled very rapid relief after the tragic and devastating explosion in Beirut, Lebanon. The explosion killed more than 220 people and left 6,000 injured. It left about 300,000 people without a roof over their head. Continue reading Diaconia helps people with disabilities in Beirut →

Jan Soběslavský has been associated with Diakonia since university studies, as he helped the organization with legal advice. After graduating from law and theology, he was successful in an interview for the post of Director of Diakonia in Brno and held this position for ten years. He is in his third year as the director of the ECCB Diakonie. Continue reading Community is important to me. Talking with the director of Diakonia ČCE about spiritual care, the tasks of Diakonia, and also about one ideology →

Marie Jurošková has a bag ready at home, packed as if she was going for a summer camp. Personal belongings, a mobile phone, a pillow, a blanket, her favourite board game. She is ready to go at any time of the day or night. However, not to a summer camp, but to clients of a Diaconia home with a special condition in Valašské Meziříčí. Together with Mrs. Maria, nine other people are prepared in the same way. Nurses, caregivers, cleaners. Continue reading How Diaconia is facing the current coronavirus epidemic and how it is helping →

We met for the interview at a time when the media were full of the turbulent events at the Turkish-Greek border, where crowds of migrants were attempting to cross. Apparently, Turkey was actually forcing these people to leave. This is a hot issue for   Erik Siegl and Kristina Ambrožová, as Kristina is head of Diaconia’s Humanitarian and Development Cooperation Centre, while Erik is in charge of the foreign section of this centre. Continue reading Helping Both at Home and Abroad →