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Description
In 2018, according to Eurostat, Romania was once again on the first place in Europe in terms of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion – 38.1% (representing the percentage of the population under 18). If over one third of Romanian children live currently in poverty, without having the opportunity to access educational services tailored to their needs – more than that, being marginalized due to cultural stereotypes and differences, in the case of Roma children – a focused, systematic intervention is necessary, in order for these children to be supported, before becoming adults, to acquire the basic skills needed for a decent life. The project is carried out in 4 disadvantaged inter-ethnic communities – Valea Calugareasca and Fulga de Sus from Prahova, respectively Cotofanesti and Berzunti from Bacau – with the school as the main pillar of the intervention. We develop, with support from the 20 teachers who will be trained as community educators, within 4 inter-ethnic groups of children, key competences – literacy, personal and social development, entrepreneurship, citizenship, cultural awareness and expression etc. As a complementary method, 4 mixed teams of community mobilisers will be prepared and through a series of methods of raising awareness through art (e.g. social theater, PhotoVoice etc), we will involve and empower the Roma children and Roma women from each community to make their voice heard, in an impactful way. This is the aim of the project. Thus, we will bring to the general public the essential needs of the Roma community and support the community mobilization groups to identify needs, create action plans and coagulate community resources for the continuous development of the 4 communities, through a relevant partnership between 2 organizations with complementary expertise: Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation – ART Fusion.
Summary of project results
In 2018, according to Eurostat, Romania once again ranked first in Europe regarding children at risk of poverty and social exclusion, at 38.1% (representing the percentage of the population under 18 years old). If more than one-third of Romanian children are currently living in poverty without the opportunity to access educational services tailored to their needs – and furthermore, being marginalized due to stereotypes and cultural differences, especially in the case of Roma children – there is a pressing need for a focused and systematic intervention to support them in acquiring the basic skills necessary for success in life before they transition into adulthood.
The project Partnership for quality education in interethnic rural communities had as its goal the development of basic skills that ensure a quality life for Roma and Romanian children, coming from disadvantaged families, by implementing an integrated intervention model in 4 interethnic rural communities, having a school as the main pillar of the intervention. The philosophy of the project assumed the discovery of the self-development potential of the communities in which it is implemented, for the sustainable development of the community. The project''s activities were coherent and fluent. We started with the training of 20 teaching staff who organized non-formal activities for Roma children and those of other ethnicities, in the centers of inclusive activities organized in the 4 schools. The activities focused on the formation of civic and social skills, linguistic, cultural awareness and expression, entrepreneurship, the competence to learn to learn. Later, wanting to mention the focus on the activities with the students and on the growth of their skills, we involved the 4 schools in the Design for Change process, joining an international effort to empower children in the process of identifying and solving problems at the community level. Through this methodology, with the help of the teachers, the children identified and solved a series of problems in their school: the lack of toilet paper, the lack of a place to eat, the lack of nets at the football field, etc. At the same time, the partner Art Fusion, through a series of methods of raising awareness through art (social theater, PhotoVoice), involved and empowered Roma children and Roma women from each commune to make their voices heard in an impactful way. Thus, the essential needs of the Roma community were brought to the attention of the general public and presented in 4 events organized under the idea of Education Day for All.
Main Results:
- 4 resource centers for inclusive activities equipped with educational resources;
- 20 teachers trained (5 from each community);
- A team of 20 community educators involved in planning, organizing, and conducting activities;
- 92 non-formal activities for children carried out in all four schools;
- 86 children participated in activities;
- 16 volunteer contracts;
- 24 community mobilizers (trained students);
- 1 three-day training course; actions for community mobilization and identifying needs in the community (in each of the 4 locations targeted by the project);
- Photography exhibition workshops conducted with women and girls from the community faced challenges: 4 social theater performances; 4 photo exhibitions in each locality; 8 workshops with students; 8 workshops with women and students; 8 community meetings with stakeholders;
- 107 citizens consulted and involved in the planning process of local community actions;
- An event organized and held in the 4 project locations, "Education for All Day" - 403 participants at the 4 events (localities);
- 26 RAA team members participated in training on the Human-Centered Design methodology.