BIKSZE was established in 2001 with the contribution of young guys intended to stay in Márokpapi. We aimed to found an active community that - focusing on the local values of culture - could make children and young people stay around by its activities.

First we started organizing Teleház's, local centres for young people to take over the functions of disappearing 'community centres', and we also arranged 'eco-touristic' camps around based on the beautiful, natural landscape (nature conservation area).

We were running Teleház's in several villages such as Barabás, Csaroda and Beregsurány for years. Due to economical-social changes they ceased and only one is working nowadays in our "hometown", Márokpapi as a community centre (it is run by our association).

Thousands of children came to take part in our touristic activities, visited our camps in the last more than a dozen years, got to know that this was not a dark side of the country but a corner of Hungary full of natural and cultural miracles and friendly people. The founders have grown up by now, they became fathers and mothers, sometimes they looked for help in the association with their personal problems. We have been trying to find answers for the problems of everybody who asked us for help, and also to be reliable and flexible clients for our partners (government as-well as enterprises)

The activities of the association extended during the years, we generally employ 2 persons for administration and support of our projects. We have 23 members nowadays, besides a few dozens of volunteers help our activities, we have an office in Vásárosnamény, run the community centre in Márokpapi and 'Tiszavirág' camping at the riverside of Tisza at Gergelyiugornya.

Programmes on environmental protection

We have been thinking it is very important to form young people's approach about environment since we started working. That's why we frequently arrange presentations on environmental protection and energy efficiency in primary schools and high schools.

We also find it important to demonstrate theories in practice as-well, so we have rented a property on the riverside of Tisza since 2010 (this settlement is in the area of Szatmár-Bereg Nature Conservation Area). This property - about 2 acres - has many autochthonous fruit trees planted; in the neighbourhood the Csiperke School of Nature and Camp - they also use renewable energy sources - organizes different touristic activities. Children visiting our summer camps on nature conversation can get valuable and exciting experience here.

Our association aims to work on developing and spreading information about producing energy, which is about a society that is developing while diminishes environmental pollution caused by using energy sources.

We are committed to the approach of sustainable development. We also keep trying to adopt these theories in practice.

Activities

•    Improving settlements' autonomy
•    Spreading information
•    Research
•    Applying new energy-systems