Description
The municipality of Mihailesti has a total population of 2,084 inhabitants, of which 561 are Roma. Many of the inhabitants, in particular Roma children and youth, are facing high level of social exclusion. Because of the high level of poverty, children and young people are vulnerable categories, facing serious educational problems: 95% of children in the community have poor school performance, the dropout rates and absenteeism are at very high rate. The project will set up specific services to support the Margineanu community, by implementing integrated measures to improve the access to formal and non-formal education. In addition, the project intends to reduce present inequalities, social and economic exclusion and combat discrimination. In this regard, we intend to set up a multifunctional centre, to provide an after-school programme for 100 children (of whom 87 Roma) who face critical educational problems, and career counseling for 100 young people (of whom 85 Roma).
Summary of project results
The project was implemented in Mihăilești Commune of Buzău County, a commune with a high percentage of Roma population. This was a complex project that wanted to improve the status of the Roma children and youth at risk from the community by involving all the stakeholders of the educational process, children, youth, parents and teachers in formal and non-formal activities. The project aimed to facilitate children and youth access to formal and non-formal education within the Multifunctional Educational Center, newly built and equipped throughout project period. During the project implementation period 110 children (out of which 99 Roma) and 100 young people (out of which 89 Roma) were involved in formal and non-formal activities, such as: after school activities, IT classes, remedial activities, life skills development, English classes, environmental activities, entrepreneurship abilities development, psychological counselling. In order to facilitate participation of the children at the project activities they were provided daily with a hot meal. Some of the children and youth gifted with music abilities were trained in violin, canto and dulcimer classes and they constituted a musical band called “Wheatear”. This band has also a dance ensemble, formed by children and youths trained within this project. In each year, on August, before school begins, a group of 40 preschoolers attended the Summer Kindergarten classes. The beneficiaries participated at 6 trips (zoo, saline, in the mountains, museum, theater) organized in different part of the country in order to get them acquainted with the sights and to reward them for the involvement in the project activities. During the implementing period, the project was visible through promoting activities, such web site promoting and local media and promoting materials.
Summary of bilateral results