Jarmila Cihlářová Jarmila spent ten years in the USA where she studied social work at Loyola University in Chicago and worked with both oncology patients in a hospital setting and in resettling refugee communities. Following her return to the Czech Republic she spent six years with ADRA, being responsible initially for global development education and later for fundraising and programme management for the newly-created Chalantika project. Chalantika is an educational centre that helps children and families from the Chalantika slum in Bangladesh obtain an education and better chances in life.
The responsibility for obtaining funding for this international project led her to meet people who not only make a living from fundraising, but who enjoy it – and in time she found that applied to her too! To help Bangladeshi slum children, she coordinated a number of campaigns, including the Robert Vano for Bangladesh initiative as well as co-developing the Pio Squad for Chalantika campaign. Fundraising, according to her, is an adventure that she can invite others to take part in and share the joy of helping a good cause. And that is what she enjoys.
In August 2015 Jarmila joined the Via Foundation as a manager for the Philanthropy Development programme. Jarmila has a long-term interest in community development, volunteering, philanthropy and finding ways to support charitable activities in the Czech Republic. She enjoys spending time with good people, talking over tea, exploring other cultures, as well as dandelions, walking among fallen leaves and being in the company of children.