Background information about Northern Hungary Manush works mostly in Northern Hungary, where the population is about one tenth Roma. This was once a bastion of heavy industry. Over the past fifty years, the Roma were mainly employed as unskilled labourers in the steel industry and coal mines. After the political changes of 1989 these were largely shut down, causing widespread unemployment… …Some 10,000 people were therefore made jobless, and many are still unemployed today. Most of these people have difficulty paying the rent, and feeding and educating their children. Everyone is poor, but especially Roma youth. Nevertheless, even in the worst shanty towns, television is their main information source, especially for the youngsters. This medium is their most powerful window to the world, from which they establish role models. We therefore believe it is a useful tool to develop a better world for them. |