Meeting with Impreuna Development Agency
On arriving at Impreuna we were greeted by big smiles and warm welcomes. Gelu Duminica, President of Impreuna showed us his offices and even gave us a grand tour including a wonderful view of the city from their balcony.
From our visit we learnt that Impreuna was founded in 1999 with funds from a Dutch charity. There aims are to support the Roma communities in social economy in city and village Roma communities. In their team of over 180 full time staff including social workers, educational trainers and labour market specialists. Gelu explained a number of different programmes that they were currently working on that help rural communities such as water projects that deals with the issue that 33% 8.6 millions people in Romania live in areas that have not piped water. A large campaign was currently taking place to raise €3000.
In the Impreuna Foundation they believe they should lead by example and therefore employ a wide range of people from Roma, homosexual and people with physical disabilities. This modern forward thinking has cause unsettlement in some employees, however Gelu was proud to say that they work hard to promote equality inside and outside the foundation.
Impreuna not only push the social boundaries on workers rights and social inclusion but in their own practice. Gelu explained that in many peoples eyes they only a bad stereotype of Roma. And that unseen to many was a thing he called the Visible Roma. This was the successful, law-abiding, everyday person. Was to change the negative perceptions of Roma people Impreuna has developed a number of programmes that helps Roma children and adults to create the connotations from the grassroots up. Such as the What do I want to be when I grow up project. Help young people address this fundamental question from an early age and helping support to achieve these goals. Gelu explained that a large obstacle to overcome was their own understanding of what was "cool". Gelu and Impreuna work at creating the WILL. Through helping to develop mind set in the young Impreuna aims to bring the Roma a sense of freedom and self pride. That by understanding the history and psychology of Roma helps to bring support in a non treating and more direct manner. As a large number of Roma struggle in school and therefore no not learnt to read and write well. Music projects have been developed that bring education in a fun and interactive way. This is not only educational but also preserves heritage and plays to skills already instilled within the communities. This non judgemental tool brings unanswered questions to the surface for discussion. When people begin talking the next step in action and Impreuna also promotes and support here helping to set up womens group, local councils, youth networks & mentoring programmes.
On the last section of our visit Gelu explained that it was important to work on skills that were already in place and to encourage the older generation to continue to pass down knowledge to youths in a modern and practical way. Impreuna are currently working with a number of countries and organisations to develop and sell Roma made handy craft. He happily share their Snowman making kit and proudly showed off the intrinsic details that were produced from the Roma's high level of skill.
In the Debrief we discussed the following:
- Impreuna worked hard to share historical facts
- That any change within society would first need to come from within the psychology of Roma.
- That the new generation of Romania should be informed of the history of Roma
- That Impreuna work at creating sustainable programmes help people to support themselves and do not give hand out.
- That the research is created in the Field. Working directly in Roma communities.
- That we believe EU countries should come together to help support and educate both Roma and non Roma.
Meeting with Policy Center for Roma and Minorities
We arrived at a school with a friendly Taxi driver who on exiting the car highlight that we should be careful. There a lot of gypsies around here. We said "we know…We have come to see the Roma."
Immediately we were met by Florin Botonogu, President of PCRM. His warm nature and open mind was completely evident from the first hand shake and he lead us into a colourful and quite school. Once a little further in we could hear the sound of discussion from small voices. On entering a classroom we seen a collection of around 15-10 students all interested in their new visitors but also content by their own school work. On sitting at the front of the class Florin went on to explain that this school was in the heart of one of many of Bucharest's Ghettos. That this area had many problems and this was the reason in 2010 he and a handful of other set up a small foundation to support this school with after school and summer workshop and courses. Aided by volunteers that were able to teach important educational skills such a extra reading and writing skills. They fundraised for equipment and worked closely with families to help address social needs that were important to them. Because many teachers come and go from the school there aim is to be a solid platform from which young students and families can grow.
PCRM believes that embracing the interests of their students is the best way to promote education in a productive way. Through such workshops as: Dance, Photography, Theatre, football etc… They build strong healthy relations and trust with the students creating self worth and confidence. By expanding on this positive atmosphere they direct and support students to push and process in other academic areas of study such as maths, language, history etc… PCRM also seek out and use positive role models in the local area to bring to the forefront those who are already excelling and reveal unappreciated aspects and people of the local area. This can come in the form of part time volunteers or mother groups that let the students know that support is there for those who want it.
Once the official meeting was complete Florin had to leave to attend another meeting. Yet he invited us to show and meet the children, form which we gladly accepted. Waltraud spoke to the Children in English while Laura translated in Romanian. The children were at first (as with all children) shy and quite…yet as Waltraud smiled and began to express her interest in them. They return the smiles and a worth of questions that turned not only into a wonderful mixture of culture sharing, but a delightful and inspiring atmosphere of sing and a lot of laughing! For over 1.30 we sat and spoke and share our history, interests and more importantly our dreams for the future. Once the talking came to an end the students were allow to play with my camera. What was wonderful to see is tat these calm, polite and respectful youths once comfortable and relaxed, now given the chance to play with the camera. Transformed into energetic actors and performers. They played and laughed even more than before! On leaving everyone said goodbye and really showed that our short yet eventful visit really did matter to them.
Debrief:
- They need volunteers
- Financial support
- Support in training
- Would benefit from media based projects
National Agency for Roma experts
Reaching a tall wide building on the forth day of visiting the building this meeting looked official. On the 8th floor and along a long corridor we waited to meet our host. After a short wait we were invited into an office space to share a coffee and a chat with Mariana Buceanu, Senior expert on Roma. She was extremely relaxing to be around and with a wonderful smile on her face she shared that was a councilor and that this is a government funded organisation that creates polices to help support Roma communities. These were not only local but national and influenced international too. They worked in many areas and had departments for education, agriculture and lots more, helping to set the budget and measure each projects success. There way of spreading help as well as measuring impact was through their network of NGO's, Governmental bodies, and in the Health Sector.
They hold office through Romania and provide support in Roma creating Land document to gain suability in residence. Continual health care, and mostly immediately Identity cards, birth certificates. These fundamental document are the key to unlocking a lot of the much need help available to Roma. Through talking with Mariana we could see that a lot of her work was restricted by prejudices about Roma both within and outside of the Roma Communities. That by bring down the invisible walls that divided this truly beautiful national. She and all of Romania would be able to achieve so much more.
Mariana explained that through programmes they developed skills and aware in such subject as diversity, medical, law and promoted summer based learning. She believes that through travel Roma would be able to challenge self conceptions and develop a wider self view. That through structured educated & exchange experience Romainia would see a positive change in the Roma communities within Society.
Meeting with National Society of Red Cross
Driving through the busy city by Taxi we arrived at a large wide building completely owned by the Red Cross. There was currently a festival being held in the city centre by the Red Cross where 28 countries were participating therefore; the place was bustling with activity. Walking the many steps to the 6th floor we found two smiling faces directing us to chairs. Seeming the timing of or arrival (Right in the middle of one of the busiest times of year) our visit was somewhat short – Yet pleasant. We leant that they have 47 brunches around Romania and that each brunch works on a slightly different areas. Currently they have been working on community development project – this could include helping the Roma to achieve ownership of their house, access to water supplies, access to Identity cards, educating Roma on the social rights. Helping provide information on where/ how to visit the doctor, extra school activities and the washing and cleaning of their clothes and personal hygiene.
As this is a complete voluntary organisation funding is also an ongoing struggle and volunteers are at the baseline of all the Red Cross do in Bucharest. Also donations, Andreea Furtuna explained that their first and large project worked with food banks in supermarkets helping to bring much needed food to Roma families. Due to the different levels of support needs through the country a big issue at the moment is understanding where the aid is most needed. As in every organisation so far, a big problem faced by Roma populations is image. How people and more importantly how Roma see themselves and their roles with society. Through the help of many wonderful foundations and NGO's the Red Cross works to change this in a positive way.
Centrul National de Cultura a Romilor – ROMANO KHER
Finding ourselves back at the tall wide building we had visited the day before, our hosts greeted us like movie stars thanking us hugely for our visit and making us feel extremely welcome. Madalina Gardu & George Gogan went on to explain the work their institution does through the means of a very informative presentation. The National Centre of Roma Culture is a delightful institution developed to share and maintain aspects of Roma culture and art. They work hard to inform the public of the history of the Roma people and bring to light facts that help explain modern situations. They believe that by better understanding the pass we are better able to help in the present. This took place in the form of newsletters, art exhibitions, theatre productions, music festivals, documentary programmes and screening. ROMANO KHER push to work in the heart of the issues that are important to Roma families, breaking down old stereotypes and working to preserve tradition and skills pushed down from generation to generation. These available skills are at risk of being lost in a modern age where machines are able to do more for less.
A truly inspiring project is the cavan project where ROMANO KHER travel to rural village around Romania putting on plays about Roma culture and gave out CD's Books and information packs to help develop an awareness of the history and modern support available Roma today. This produced some of the very first Roma created theatre shows which helps to boost confidence and self pride. Their aim is to create sustainable programmes that help communities to help themselves. This is both locally and nationally. Through educational project as well as international projects, ROMANO KHER hopes to inspire a new generations of Roma thinks that ejects pass stigma and embrace a new age of diversity and community reliance.
Debrief:
- We loved their energy – It trusting, thoughtful and heartfelt.
- They push to get into as many communities as possible, both local and national.
- They are interested in learning more about inter nation programmes
- The cavan project could work great internationally
- They work to preserves traditional skills
- They have a wide selection of resources
- They embracer and developed projects based on oral participants