30.11.2015

Introducing BanglaKids’ New Program Coordinator

Anna Krejčí, BanglaKid’s new Program Coordinator, is a young woman with a beautiful soul, a captivating smile, and the sweetest voice in Central Europe. In mid-April she took over the reins from long-time coordinator Šárka Hejnáková, who stepped down for family reasons. In today’s interview, we’d like to introduce Anička to our sponsors and find out how’s she’s doing at BanglaKids.

Anna, you worked part-time for BanglaKids while you were studying. How did you get this job?

It was truly just by chance. When I was in high school, ADRA did a presentation at our school about India. Afterwards, Šárka contacted my friend An and me, saying she was looking for part-time help. I started working for them 8 years ago.

You’ve been a dedicated employee of BanglaKids for a long time. Yet your journey to working full-time as the BanglaKids coordinator wasn’t an easy one.

How can I put it...last year, before Christmas, I more or less assumed that I’d replace Šárka. But then I found out that I’d have to go through a selection process. Of course I was disappointed. And I expected that it wouldn’t work out. But I told myself that I’d give it a try, and that I’d fight for it, because I really wanted the job.

Were you upset that they didn’t just offer you the job outright, that you had to compete for it?

I was at first because it made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. So I was even more surprised when I found out I got the job  - it gave me inner strength, and now I’m absolutely devoted to my job. And I have to admit that my current colleagues didn’t give me anything during the selection process.

Was the transition from part-time employee to a managerial position difficult?

Yes, it was. I started working during a hectic time of preparing and sending material to sponsors. Šárka, however, handed over her job gradually and taught me everything. And thanks to her, Kamil, Honza, and our “good souls”, we managed it. I was also encouraged by the lovely communication with our sponsors.

Anna, we know you come from an artistic family. Are you an artist as well?

I come from an artistic family, but I’m not an artist. I don’t even have any special artistic education, but I like art.

An artistic family - so that means what - music, sculpture, painting?

Music! Definitely not painting. I draw like primary school child. :-) My parents are musicians. My father plays the cello at the State Opera, and my mother teaches flute at a music school. My brother and I also went to music school.

So you’re interested in music - do you have other interests?

Yes, I play the piano in a jazz band. And I love to read and cook, and I’m interested in a healthy lifestyle.

You studied demographics. Why did you choose ADRA and BanglaKids?

I think I followed my heart. When I was in secondary school, I was already thinking that I’d like to do something in development and humanitarian work, or something else for people, but I went and studied demographics, which is the science of human populations. I learned many things, but I always wanted my work to have greater meaning, to help someone. I’m glad that I came back to this idea.

Your personal motto is: “Happiness is the one thing that doubles when you share it with someone.” Is this somehow related to your choice?

I would say it’s definitely related. I love to share - it brings me great pleasure. I think it’s important to pass on your happiness and joy to others - it’s always returned twofold. I think this is exactly what we’re trying to do at ADRA with BanglaKids.

And what are you working on right now?

We’re working our Christmas card mail out, and we’re working on a new database with our IT programmer Dan. We want to make an account for each sponsor, where they’ll have saved materials about their children. Things like letters, photos, and personal information about the child. This will help reduce some of the administrative work and we’ll be able to focus more on developing the program, on the children, and on our sponsors.

And what about older sponsors, like grandmas and grandpas, who don’t use new technologies very much?

We haven’t forgotten about them. We’ll continue to send them materials by post as before.

You have a special Tuesday tradition at work. Can you tell us some more about it?

It’s a really lovely tradition called “English Tuesdays”. Every Tuesday, we speak only English in the BanglaKids office. And anyone who comes to the office has to speak English too. J Only rarely do we make exceptions. Thanks to this tradition, our English is improving and we laugh quite a lot.

What about your colleagues and the “good souls” that come to BanglaKids to help out? Do you work well together?

I think that Kamil, Honza and I get along well, and also with our “good souls” - An, Zuzka, Verča, Saly, Majda, Alča, Zuzka, Kamča, and Alžběta. And also Radek, Kryštof, Žběťule, Filip, Radka, Adéla, Georgi, Jennifer, and others. I hope I didn’t forget anyone :-) We’re constantly pleasantly surprised by their willingness to devote their time to a good cause. Our sponsors are also counted among our “good souls”, of course - without them we wouldn’t be able to support the children in Bangladesh.

We found out that you also support a child. What does this mean for you?

My boyfriend, my brother, and I together support Subroto at the Gopalonj boarding school. We’re helping a specific boy who is far away, but we can write and be in touch with him. I also know that our support has great meaning for his life, as well as for ours. I think that now I can better empathize with the feelings of our sponsors.

When did you start supporting him?

It happened on Friday, August 7, 2015. I got an e-mail from our coordinator in Bangladesh asking whether we’d found a sponsor for Subroto, that Subroto had come to him crying. He had been waiting for a sponsor for over a year. I felt very sorry for him and took it as a sign. I said to myself, it’s now or never, and wrote to Bangladesh that he does indeed have a sponsor!

Next year you’re going to Bangladesh. Are you looking forward to meeting him?

I’m really looking forward to it. And I’m also very curious what it’ll be like to see all our colleagues and children with our own eyes and communicate with them face to face.

Do you have any special wishes for the children in Bangladesh?

Yes - for them to be able to fulfil their desires to go to school, to get an education, and be able to stand on their own two feet. And for them to be able to raise their own children in better conditions.

And do you have any special wishes for our sponsors? Or visions?

My wish for our sponsors is that they get pleasure out of supporting the children. I’d like to thank them for their interest in the fates of these children. My vision is for a cohesive society in which people will help each other independently, regardless of their religion or origin.

Thank you for the interview. We’re glad to have you here.


More information about program Support BanglaKids

BanglaKids is a development program of ADRA Czech Republic.
Since 1999 we have provided education to 6,500 children in Bangladesh.
Together, we’re giving them an opportunity for a better future.

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