NOMADA is a Wroclaw-based non-government organization founded in 2009. Our objective is to provide free consulting services along with legal and humanitarian protection for migrants and refugees. We operate locally (Wroclaw and Lower Silesia). In addition Nomada lawyers provide counseling in 2 detention camps (Krosno Odrzańskie, Lesznowola). NOMADA is a part of the Border Group which delivers humanitarian and legal aid to people stranded at the Polish-Belarusian border. We work with Roma migrants from Romania who live in Wroclaw and we hire a woman from the community. We also run educational projects directed towards the Polish majority – training programs for various professional groups, workshops for students of local schools.
OUR TEAM
BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION
Ewa Jupowiecka, PhD – cultural expert, researcher, trainer in intercultural and anti-discrimination education, president of the association. Conducts trainings and workshops on human rights education, counteracting violence motivated by prejudice and teaching children with migration experience. Intercultural educator and interpreter; supports children, young people and educational staff in integration activities and conflict resolution; active in the educational team of the Border Group. Co-author of publications on multiculturalism, the integration process and the situation of Roma migrant communities and migrant women from Romania. Privately a lover of animals and strong coffee.
Maciej Mandelt – president of the association, member of Nomada’s fundraising team – responsible for implementing the organisation’s financial strategy, networking, mentoring and working on social campaigns. Worked with the Romanian Roma migrant community as a family assistant. Co-author of publications on working with the Romanian Roma community living in Poland and publications for social workers on working with refugees.
Magdalena Nazimek-Rakoczy, PhD – lawyer, president of the association, coordinator of the legal team of the advice centre for migrant women and migrants. She defended her doctoral thesis entitled Territorial rights in a philosophical and legal perspective in the Department of Theory and Philosophy of Law at the University of Łódź. She is a graduate of philosophy at the University of Wrocław and of postgraduate studies “Contemporary International Migration” at the University of Warsaw. She completed the course “Migration and Local Authorities” organised by The Hague Academy for Local Governance. Expert in the field of legalisation of residence and work, international protection, detention of foreigners and violence motivated by prejudice. Author of scientific publications on human rights, territorial rights and legal ethical issues. Enthusiast of TV series, cycling trips and abstract painting.
Agnieszka Szczepaniak – graduate of ethnology at the University of Wrocław, member of the board. Provides direct support to migrant women and refugees in the field of documenting their stay in Poland, access to the labour market, inclusion of children and youth in the education system. In the field, she supports Nomada’s clients and customers as a language and cultural interpreter. As a member of the fundrising team, she implements the organisation’s financial strategy, builds networks, takes care of contacts with grantors and coordinates projects. Co-author of a publication on working with the Roma migrant community from Romania and a publication aimed at medical professionals on working with refugee women/refugees.
Nina Ptak – gender-based violence specialist, feminist and animal rights activist, leader, manager and project coordinator, fundraiser, strategist. A person of programmes, partnerships, communications. Chewed up by multinational corporations, she started working in NGOs in Southeast Asia. She joined Nomada to manage the Blue Dot refugee support point and open the Open Place – Centre for Intercultural Integration. She is currently building a team to support migrant and refugee people with experience of violence (GBV and PMU), working at the desk and in the field. Since 2021, she has also been working with the HerStory Foundation in Wrocław, dealing with innovations in non-formal anti-discrimination and anti-violence education. Privately, she enjoys moving around the world, picking up sounds and images, sitting in the bushes, dwelling on the human condition and making pranks.
COORDINATION OF THE OPEN SPACE
Kinga Bacewicz – graduate of political science and journalism at the University of Wrocław, as well as postgraduate Eastern Studies and the SWPS School of Trainers in Warsaw. By experience, she is a coordinator of educational, cultural and social projects and a trainer of intercultural relations. Passionate traveller, mountain lover and election observer for the OSCE mission (ODIHR). She works at the Nomada Association as Coordinator of the Open Place – Centre for Intercultural Integration, which offers legal and psychological assistance to migrants in Wrocław. She is responsible for coordinating the work of the Open Space team and for liaising with Partners and Grantmakers.
LEGAL ASSISTANCE TEAM
r. pr. Olga Kosmalska – lawyer, graduated from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and completed her legal training at the District Chamber of Legal Counsels in Poznan. At Nomada Association, she focuses on supporting refugees and people in guarded centres for foreigners. Passionate about mountains, old forests, concerts and roller skating.
r. pr. Filip Rakoczy-Nazimek – lawyer working with Nomada Association since 2018. He is teaching law students at universities in Wrocław since 2015. Professionally, he is interested in issues of strategic litigation and the broader politicality of law. Privately, he spends his time playing strategy games, travelling or reading SF books.
Joanna Grześkowiak – lawyer, graduate of the University of Wrocław. She completed internships in Warsaw organisations and foundations dealing with immigration law and human rights. Afterwards, she was partially involved in the business world. In Nomada Association, she is involved in supporting foreigners in the field of labour law as well as in matters related to refugee law. Privately passionate about travel, mountains and nature.
TEAM OF CONSULTANTS
Magdalena Bera – cultural and Ukrainian studies expert, teacher of Polish as a foreign language, trainer of psychosocial skills. In Nomada, she is a coordinator of consultants, she provides assistantship for adults and families. She provides support to refugees due to the war in Ukraine. Privately a lover of potted plants and all kinds of DIY (do-it-yourself) projects.
Żenia Chubarava – belarusian-born artist, craftswoman, educator and animator. Co-founder of the Plastformers Foundation. At Nomada she supports people affected by the war in Ukraine as a consultant and translator. She is constantly deepening her botanical knowledge, loves collecting mushrooms and planning.
Mindra Ciurar – has been working with Nomada since 2010. Member of the team since 2019 employed as a Roma family assistant. She continuously provides support to about 30 people in Wrocław and also intervenes for people from the Roma community in other cities. Her work includes, among other things, support in contacting authorities, social workers, pedagogical staff at schools and employers or medical personnel.
Oleksandr Ostapchuk – Ukrainian-born artist, painter and cultural activist. Oleksandr is a migrant himself, so he understands very well the needs of people coming to Poland. His previous experience working in an employment agency has given him additional tools, skills and, above all, experience in topics related to the legalisation of residence and work. At Nomada, as a consultant and translator, he supports people fleeing war. Privately, he paints pictures in his attic in his townhouse and delves into the history and culture of the world.
Diana Pugacheva – Belarusian-born consultant with an artistic background. In the past she was a teacher of English as a foreign language with a background in economics. At Nomad she helps migrant women and migrants by translating and assisting in the field. Privately a lover of foreign languages, cinema and cultural events.
Tomasz Bauer – community worker and field worker. He has gained field experience and cultural knowledge during many years of travelling and engaging in local community projects in European, Middle Eastern and African countries. Yoga instructor. He strives to combine engagement with the unpredictability of the world with inner peace and routine of practice.
Ievgen Bugaiov – community worker and field worker at Nomada. For several years he has been working in various charity projects helping people and animals. She is currently fulfilling her former dream to help others in the process of integration into Polish society. He enjoys spending time with a book and tea in a cosy café, and greeting the dawn on the lake shore with a cup of coffee. He creates art projects using epoxy resin. Open and simple man.
Yuliya Mazurets – consultant, field worker. She refers to herself as the ‘ear and eye’ of the Ukrainian Nomada team. She collects important information for our clients and customers and always has some useful advice in her pocket. She is a person with migration experience, a Ukrainian who has lived in Poland for 10 years. In her free time, she does art: she paints on walls and creates small handicrafts. She rides a scooter and loves to cook..
Christian Kobluk – refugee rights specialist at Tomasz Aniśko MP’s office and publicist. He has recently published the book ‘Notes of a Black Pole’. He is involved in community working at Nomada. Enthusiast of literature and philosophy.
Rita Shamye – comes from Syria and has been living in Poland for 8 years. She knows first-hand the problems faced by people with migration and refugee experience, having been in such a situation herself. In Nomada she works as an intercultural integration assistant (community working). Privately, she is passionate about travelling, learning languages and exploring different cultures.
Roman Klyuz – a mechanical engineer by training, he lived and worked in Kiev as a photographer until 2014. With the onset of the war, he moved to Poland. Here he became a barista, roaster and coffee trainer. At Nomada, he works ‘in the field’ as a community worker. With many years of experience living in Poland, he understands the needs of a migrant from Ukraine very well. In his free time, he enjoys travelling and exploring new places.
Roksana Stojowska – activist for the Roma community, Roma education assistant at the Nomada Association, implementer of numerous educational projects aimed at children and young people of Roma origin, as well as vocational activation projects for the Roma of Lower Silesia. For three years, she ran a series of workshops on Roma culture and history in Wrocław schools. Member of the competition committee assessing applications for the realisation of public tasks within the Programme of social and civil integration of Roma people for 2021-2030 in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Participant of the Roma Women and Leaders Against Exclusion project. For years, she has been involved with the Wrocław Living Library. She feels comfortable in the role of recipient of culture and art, and has been fond of the forest since childhood.
Halina Mazur – graduate of German Studies at the University of Wrocław, teacher of German and Polish as a foreign language. A participant in the EVS European Voluntary Service in 2013-2014, she supports foreigners in Nomad as a consultant and translator. Privately a lover of Wrocław and foreign languages. In her free time she likes to go for long walks with an audio book in Belarusian.
Gabriela Smoła – she started at Nomad as a volunteer, where she had the opportunity to support the education of children from the Roma community for almost a year. Currently, as an educator, she supports the teaching of the Polish language, conducts integration classes and creative workshops for children and young people with migrant experience. She is studying philosophy, although she is finding that she is more drawn to practice than theory. Apart from the joy of the kids she works with, she enjoys: tahini in large quantities, yoga practice, tattoos, and long conversations.
COMMUNICATION TEAM
Adrianna Klimaszewska –activist and social activist, feminist. Wroclawian of the Year 2021. Co-founder and president of the Pink Box Foundation (Fundacja Różowa Skrzyneczka), which campaigns for universal access to sanitary pads and tampons in public spaces. One of the 30 Creatives of Wrocław 2020, a philologist and journalist by education. Mum of Tadzio and Nina. At Nomada she is 1/3 of the communications team, leads social media and advocacy.
Natalia Ratyńska – activist and vice-president of the Pink Box Foundation (Fundacja Różowa Skrzyneczka) – an organisation that fights every day for unconditional access to free menstrual hygiene products. She is 1/3 of the group creating the Karowa Gallery Shop and 1/3 of the communication team of the Nomad Association. She studied design and cultural studies. She dreams of better worlds, inverted hierarchies and equal access to essential fundamental rights.
Arkadiusz Wierzba – graduate of Polish and cultural studies, a man of words, images and the Internet. He translates, writes, edits, educates, creates and promotes. At Nomada, he manages the website and social media profiles. Associate of the EcoDevelopment Foundation (Fundacja EkoRozwoju), educator of the EkoCentrum Wrocław, anti-discrimination trainer.
ADMINISTRATION TEAM
Marta Kucner– cultural studies scholar with many years of experience in working for NGOs (international volunteer projects and ngo’s carrying out cultural activities) and in organising cultural events – from local photography exhibitions to folk music festivals. As a member of the Nomada Association, she takes care of administrative issues and project coordination. Loves swimming and mountain trekking, reads, sometimes embroiders.
Katarzyna Pytlos – cultural animator, management graduate, with Nomada since 2021. Responsible for human resources, liaising with accounting and organising work in the Nomada office. Privately passionate about board games, theatre and pubquizzes.
Nathalie Papric – cultural anthropologist, ethnologist, and has worked in the cultural field for many years. At Nomad she takes care of evaluation and monitoring issues. Passionate about words, the sea, mountains and forests. Doesn’t function without: dog, long walks, TV series and wind.