Marie Svobodová Receives Olga Havlová Award

Why this is here: Despite facing health issues related to Bechterew’s disease, Marie Svobodová supports ten employees with basic education or special school backgrounds.

Marie Svobodová, an assistant working with disadvantaged people in Neratov, Czech Republic, received the Olga Havlová Award. The Good Will Committee – Olga Havlová Foundation presented the award to Svobodová for her work supporting others despite her own health challenges. She has worked at the Neratov Association for ten years, assisting people with health and social disadvantages.

Svobodová supports ten employees with limited formal education, guiding them toward independence and responsibility. She also assists them beyond work duties, helping with relocation, medical appointments, and daily meals. This year, Jiří Čeloud also received a public award for his work raising awareness and teaching self-sufficiency as an instructor at the Paraple Center.

The Olga Havlová Award has been given annually since 1995. The Good Will Committee, founded by the former First Lady Olga Havlová in 1990, has provided over one billion Czech crowns in aid. The committee continues to seek ways to support those working selflessly for others, but challenges remain in fully integrating disadvantaged individuals into everyday life.