Speakers

Barbara Sadowska - psychologist, founder of Barka Foundation for Mutual Help, co-founder of an organizational and legal system for integration and social economy in Poland. Barbara and Tomasz Sadowscy brought to life alternative non-governmental support system, aimed primarily for homeless people and allow them to build a new self-identity, education and finding one's place in the new socio-economic situation. Sadowski family lived for 8 years in the first Barka community with the homeless, people leaving orphanages, psychiatric hospitals and prisons. They worked with these people on their social and professional reintegration. Then, the foundation has created 20 self-financing communities led by those whose rehabilitation takes place in the first Barka house. On the basis of these experiences, a program of cooperatives and communities in Poland was created. Barge for 25 years fighting against social exclusion re-integrating the enterprise marginalized and excluded groups in Poland, but also in the countries of the so-called. transition, and in developing countries. Barbara Sadowska since 2009, builds local partnerships (100 local partnerships) for social entrepreneurship, where centers of social integration and social cooperatives are created. Barka’s program includes 50 Centres for Social Integration that help annually approx. 7 000 people in the difficulties of life. Barka expanded its activities to other countries in 1995, starting with France. Today already has developed a huge network of support of economic migrants from Central and Eastern Europe struggling with various problems (unemployment, homelessness, etc.) in Ireland, England, Holland, Belgium, Canada. As part of this cooperation, more than 12 thousand migrants have returned to their countries. Barka is the initiator and co-founder of the International Network of Innovative Social Enterprises (INIS) - Barka Africa, which works with the European Parliament, with the African Diaspora in Europe and African organizations on the development of the social market economy in Africa. The Foundation has played a significant role in the development of social programs in Poland and in the world. Barbara Sadowska has received numerous awards and honors, national and international: Officer's Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland awarded by the President of Poland (2011), Prize of the Foundation Pro Publico Bono (2007, 2009), Time Magazine "European Heros" (2005) Global Development Network (Cairo 2003, Beijing 2007), UN Habitat Award (Washington, 2009). She is editor-in-chief of Street Newspaper Gazeta Uliczna - quarterly social economy magazine, giving people earning potential. Since 2006 she has been a President of the National Union of Organizations „Barka Network of Cooperation", gathering 60 organizations, social enterprises, associations and foundations. She is also a member of the Global Network of Social Entrepreneurs created by Klaus Schwab Foundation / World Economic Forum (Davos, Switzerland), as well as a member of the Association of Social Innovators "Ashoka".