Tag: secretariat

Welcome Cheyenne!

The ERGO Network Secretariat team is growing! A new European Solidarity Corps volunteer Cheyenne Wijts from Netherlands joined us in Brussels.

She will stay with us until the end of April to learn more about how we work and support all our work areas.

Here is more about Cheyenne in her own words:

My name is Cheyenne and I’m from the Netherlands. I have always been interested in human rights issues, so I decided to pursue this interest during my academic career. First, I obtained a bachelor’s degree in International Studies at Leiden University. Originally, I specialised in Latin American affairs because I wanted to learn more about the effects of colonisation. I explored various themes, such as minority rights, the rule of law and development economics. 

As I started to get more involved with Romani activism, this was also reflected in my studies. During my master’s in Public Administration, I focused more on questions of policy implementation, Romani identity and minority rights within the EU. In my master’s thesis, I discussed the diversity of the Romani community and how this complicates the implementation of the EU Roma strategic framework at a local level. This research deepened my interest in Roma inclusion and the ways in which international frameworks can either empower or overlook communities. 

Alongside my academic journey, I’ve been active in projects that engaged with democracy promotion, the rule of law, and minority rights. I was part of a research team at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, which recorded the pre-colonial cultural practices of the Taíno people. Earlier this year, I completed an internship at the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, where I was part of the communications team. These experiences have introduced me to human rights work, but I am eager to gain more insight into the projects affecting the daily lives of Romani people. I’m really excited to join the team and look forward to learning from everyone here. 

Outside of work, I enjoy crocheting, knitting and salsa dancing. 

Welcome Stelina!

The ERGO Network Secretariat team is growing! This week a new European Solidarity Corps volunteer Stelina Dungaj from Albania joined us in Brussels.

She will stay with us until the end of June 2025 to learn more about how we work and support all our work areas.

Here is more about Stelina in her own words:

I am Stelina from Albania, a young Roma woman dedicated to becoming the best version of myself, not only for personal growth but to inspire and uplift my community, especially the youth. My passion has driven me to seek out knowledge and insights into the current conditions of Roma across Central and Eastern Europe. Through my analysis, I’ve identified racism as a key barrier holding Roma back, with the path to change lying in combating antigypsyism at both institutional and grassroots levels.

Completing my MA in Sociology and Social Anthropology at CEU, obtaining an Advanced Certificate in Romani Studies, and engaging with various Roma NGOs have equipped me with extensive knowledge of Roma and the immediate issues that need to be addressed, particularly through research, policy making and advocacy. These experiences have only fuelled my enthusiasm for observing and analysing the Roma situation within European institutions. Consequently, I have focused on the Roma Framework and Strategic Plans, evaluating the effectiveness of policies over time and recommending improvements.

I firmly believe that change should start from within and for this reason I will be contributing at ERGO Network as the New Solidarity Corps Volunteer. I am excited for the given opportunity where besides my passion and professional aspirations I will be contributing immensely in the communication part to ensure an effective outreach and engagement over the next 10 months. I believe that through the communication work I will be doing I can gain knowledge on policy topics and issues that are going on, while creating the space for me to grow more in this area.

As a new team member of ERGO, I am eager to challenge myself and, as I always say, work diligently towards changing societal narratives about minorities from being seen as “the other” to being recognized as “us.” Besides that, I am a very social person who loves music and conversations about different topics. I sing and make covers of different songs to post on my social media. I love travelling, coffee and good company.

We welcome a new team member, Mihai Oancea, who has joined as an Administrative Assistant.

Within the ERGO Secretariat Mihai has the following responsibilities:

• Event management: Liaising with event participants, booking venues and flights, preparing material and documentation, taking minutes and other tasks related to event logistics;
• Contracting and finances: Supporting other team members in administrative procedures of contracting and sub-granting to our members, experts and external partners, supporting other team members in preparing invoices, dealing with reimbursements to participants, collecting financial evidence from members; working closely with the financial manager to preparing and filing financial documents.
• Office management: Liaising with the Mundo Matonge management and team about any issues regarding our office space, ordering office materials etc.
• Other administrative tasks: Assisting the Director with other tasks.

Read more about Mihai in his own words:

“I was born and raised in a traditional Roma community in the southern part of Romania. Since 2016, I’ve actively participated in Roma civil society, starting as a volunteer with Romani Criss, the first Roma organisation in Romania. Through this experience, I discovered my passion for working to improve the situation of Roma communities.

From a professional point of view, my experience includes activities that have for a long time involved involvement in the civic sector of Roma youth, working on the grassroots in various communities as well as working with various institutions aiming to improve the Roma inclusion sector (health and education sectors and human rights)

I believe that it is always good to combine useful things with pleasant things, which is why, throughout my career, I have always had to learn and gain experience in both the administrative and financial fields as well as in the social sector, and all this experience I gained working in civil society organizations has brought me different positions in the organizations I worked with, starting from volunteer to mentor, youth worker and project assistant, and then project coordinator. All these experiences have contributed to gaining knowledge in various areas related to the communities we are fighting for and the people whose voices need to be heard: Roma communities, generations of people, and people who need us to be there.

My last studies were a master’s degree in Management and Internal Audit within the Faculty of Management and Rural Development; this was an essential step in my career because I believe that despite the flexibility that the NGO sector allows, even in working on the grassroots, there is a need for adaptability and identification of ways of intervention focused on the needs of communities, and the procedures and strategies are directly related to them.

I am happy to continue working in the field of Roma civil society with ERGO; I am convinced that this experience will sustain my motivation to work for the community.”

Welcome to our new team member

News from the ERGO Network Secretariat: Georgios Tsiakalos, the Project Coordinator for Jekhipe, has joined the team.

Within the ERGO Secretariat, Georgios has the following responsibilities:

• Coordination of the Jekhipe project
• Work on anti-discrimination and antigypsyism files
• Coordination of transitional justice initiatives

Read more about Georgios in his own words:

I am an Attorney at Law specialising in Strategic Litigation for Human Rights and an experienced project manager. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Government from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, an LL.B. in European Law, and an LL.M. in Forensics, Criminology, and Law from the University of Maastricht. Additionally, I earned an MSc in Modern Medical Practices with a focus on bioethics, medical research, and legal regulation from the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

My legal career began in 2013 with a focus on criminal defence, where I quickly discovered my true calling: seeking redress for human rights abuses for those most in need. This passion led me to concentrate on Human Rights Law, dedicating my practice to strategic litigation and legal advocacy, particularly for the Roma community.

My career path was significantly shaped by my role as a legal expert for the EU/CoE Joint Programs JUSTROM (Access to Justice for Roma Women) since 2016. Leading legal clinics, I handled thousands of legal issues and became deeply acquainted with systemic injustices and gross manifestations of antigypsyism.

Since 2023, I have had the honour of serving as the National Coordinator in Greece for the Council of Europe in the Joint Programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe – EQUIROM (Equality and Freedom from Discrimination for Roma). Additionally, I have been selected as an international expert/consultant for various departments of the Council of Europe, including the Council of Europe Office in Georgia, the Horizontal Facility II & III, the Justice Sector Reform, CEPEJ, and the Elections and Participatory Democracy Division.

I have extensive experience as a trial lawyer and in Strategic Litigation for the defence of the Human Rights of Roma, focusing on addressing forced evictions, environmental racism, and law enforcement abuse. Notably, in 2022, alongside dedicated colleagues, I founded the non-profit alliance of human rights lawyers, Pro Bono Publico, aimed at litigation to generate significant societal impact for the most marginalized.

I have provided my services as an independent expert to the Greek National Roma Contact Point and the Fundamental Rights Agency under the EEA/Norway Grants Task Force on Roma Inclusion and Empowerment. I also served as the Trainings Coordinator for the Roma Platform 2020 in Greece.

My project management experience includes several initiatives funded by the Open Society Foundations, leading program planning and advocacy efforts for grassroots organizations, notably the Roma Women Association of Dendropotamos. Here, I designed and managed significant projects like the Environmental and Climate Justice Network—ENVIROM, which influenced larger organizations such as UNICEF and social entrepreneurship ventures like the non-profit Romani women-led Romani cuisine restaurant Amalin. I also achieved the association’s recognition as a US Public Charity equivalent.

In addition to these roles, I have served as the National Coordinator for the Roma Civil Monitor for Greece and Cyprus and as Project Coordinator of the Council of Europe’s Roma Political Schools for three consecutive years.

I am honoured to take on the role of Project Coordinator for JEKHIPE, where I can utilize my skills and experience in both project management and the pursuit of justice. I see JEKHIPE as a vital counterweight to the gross and historical injustices the Roma community continues to face.

I am eager to contribute to the ERGO Network’s impactful work, ensuring the Roma community receives the respect, empowerment, and opportunities it deserves.

In my free time, I enjoy long drives, reading books, watching quality series, and cooking.

Welcome to our new team member

The ERGO Network secretariat is growing! We welcome Marko Pecak, a new team member who joined as the Project Coordinator for Jekhipe.

Within the ERGO Secretariat, Marko has the following responsibilities:

• Coordination of the Jekhipe project
• Work on anti-discrimination and antigypsyism files
• Coordination of transitional justice initiatives

Read more about Marko in his own words:

“My family’s determination and persistence as Romani refugees in the United States is the heart of my motivation for a policy and research career centred on Roma inclusion and anti-racism.

With nearly a decade of experience in research, policy analysis, advocacy, and project management focused on Roma inclusion, combating antigypsyism, and general anti-racism, I am pleased to join the ERGO network as the Project Coordinator for the Jekhipe Project.

I managed and conducted a series of projects on the representation of Roma in European textbooks and Romani Holocaust education. As the Research Officer at Roma Education Fund, I collaborated with the Council of Europe and the Georg Eckert Institute. I led a team of eight researchers to analyze over 850 textbooks.

The efforts highlighted the prevailing representation and discourses surrounding Roma culture, identity, and history within the educational system. Through an independent research study, I explored the representation of the Romani Holocaust in European textbooks with two colleagues. Through critical discourse analysis, we unearth that textbook representations mirror broader societal discourses and may reinforce Roma exclusion.

As an independent research, policy, and evaluation consultant for the last two years, I worked with clients on various projects on inclusion and anti-racism. One of those projects was for ERGO, where I evaluated the state of grassroots-focused funding approaches for Roma inclusion. Additionally, I have spent this time conducting project evaluations for Lumos Transforms, a prominent Los Angeles-based social enterprise committed to promoting anti-discrimination through a trauma-informed and resilience-oriented approach.

I am excited to leverage my policy analysis experience in the Jekhipe project’s goal of promoting transitional justice and supporting ERGO’s efforts in combating antigypsyism. I am committed to building collaborative partnerships, driving impactful initiatives, and influencing positive change.

Outside work, I enjoy walking and hiking with my dog Malna, riding motorcycles, relaxing at coffee shops, camping, and all the other basic outdoor stuff.”