Although popular culture romanticizes the Gypsy
kids
lauren fischer photographs: shea roggio writer:
lifestyle, Roma people face a difficult reality. The two and a half million Roma who make their home in Romania face unemployment, institutional apathy and an education gap entrenched by poverty and systemic racism. While completing grade 10 is the national average, the average Roma student drops out after fourth grade. Families cannot afford notebooks, uniforms and other basic materials that their children need to attend school. Schools that do not want Roma students can refuse to register those without IDs. Such issues cause many Roma children to enter school late and drop out early.
robert gasca and diana vasile play in the roma village of marginea.
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kids
OvR also gives each family meal coupons based on their
families. However, Hawke believes that aid should not
society. I want the pervasive prejudice against Roma
children’s school attendance rate. Hawke asserts that
be associated with a family’s background. In order to
to lessen in my lifetime,” she says. Schools hesitate to
“the single most significant thing we can do to get these
discourage prejudice and segregation, OvR distributes
enroll Roma students and employers are unwilling to
children in school early and keep them in school is to
aid based on family income rather than ethnicity. Ilas
hire Roma adults because of the racist stereotype that
provide economic incentives to the parents.”
explains that all the families are treated the same, “We
they are criminals. These barriers limit Roma people’s
don’t ask them [if they are Roma] when they come to us.”
choices and cause some to resort to crime, bolstering
From its experience in rural communities, OvR has
the stereotype. Hawke says, “I wish more people
learned that late enrollment, sporadic attendance
Hawke hopes that extending equal educational opportunities
could see that such behaviors are a consequence of
and dropping out early are predominately associated
to all children in Romania will decrease anti-Roma
multigenerational poverty, no of defective genes or
with Roma children. This is primarily the result of
racism. “I want our team to be instrumental in narrowing
a primitive value system.”
undereducation throughout generations of Roma
the education gap between Roma kids and the rest of
ana manolache lives in roma village of marginea and has seven children. along with helping ana obtain birth certificates and ids, ovr has enrolled one of her children in their educational programs.
village of marginea. a unicef report released in 2005 found that 88% of the roma population in romania live below the poverty line. living this way often forces parents to send their children to work rather than school.
While in Romania for the Peace Corps Leslie Hawke and Maria Gheorghiu obtained a grant to train impoverished mothers to support their families. In addition, they started an education program for children who begged on the street.
Three years later Hawke and Gheorghiu turned this small trai-ning program into the nonprofit Asociatia Ovidiu Rom (OvR). Through teacher workshops, parent meetings, summer programs and a public awareness campaign, OvR has helped thousands of at-risk children start their education. OvR recently launched a multipartner initiative to have every child in Romania registered and attending school by 2020.
OvR evaluates each family’s unique needs and the barriers to their children’s education. “We identify the children that are not going to school or have dropped out. … We provide services to the entire family in order to help them send their children to school,” explains communication and events coordinator Simona Ilas.
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alexandru marza
“There are eight of us. All my children go to school and do not miss class. Both my wife and I work for a living. I represent the Roma community from Bistrita colony.
“My wife makes minimum wage, and I have a 220 Lei second degree handicap pension, but I still work four hours. We do more than four hours of community work, we come home where we have to light the fire, cook, and in the evening we watch TV. We’ve got cable and so we do something else and forget about our problems.
“I’ve had these problems since I was born and I don’t see any solution to them. I got used to my handicap.”
[How do others treat you?] “With indifference. I am considered an outsider because I am a Gypsy, and sometimes I am not given all my rights because of that. I don’t see any future for me or my family.” soita viliarda adriana is married and has three children. the school in her village burned down years ago, and the community is still working to rebuild it. ovr arranged for the children to be bused to schools and kindergartens in a nearby town, including Soita’s daughter. ovr also helped soita’s family obtain id cards and birth certificates.
an errc report revealed that 64% of working-age roma have experienced discrimination in employment. 49% said they had been openly told it was racial discrimination by the company.
Over the years, the Marza family has benefited from OvR’s support. OvR has helped the obtain ID’s for the entire family, prepared all the documents needed to rent a house and has provided counseling on the services available
ovr has helped alexandru marza obtain ids for his entire family, and two of his daughters are currently enrolled in ovr’s educational programs.
from a family doctor Two of Marza’s daughters are currently enrolled in Ovidu Rom’s educational programs.
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tincuta vasile
“There are seven people in our family. Three of the five
“It’s easier in the summer because we can work occasionally,
children go to school. Andreea has a heart disease and
but when the winter comes, it’s harder. We manage
she is not allowed to go to school, it is very difficult for
somehow. We used to get social help from the City Hall,
her. The doctor says if it is cold outside she should stay
but now, they don’t give it to us anymore.
in the house. It’s hard to survive when so many have to live in such a small house.
“What can I wish for the future? All the best. I wish my children to be healthy, because this is the most
“We have a cart and a horse and we get wood from the
important thing. Doesn’t matter if I work too hard
forest to earn some money. We want to bring the wood
or if I’m sad, I’ll raise them by myself.”
home instead of selling it, because my children are cold too. Can I just stand there watching them being cold?
Three of Tincuta’s children are enrolled in OvR’s educational programs, where they have access to homework
“We face [challenges] every day, beginning with the
assistance, sports, IT and English clubs.
lack of money and ending with health problems. But what can we do? We just have to move on, because the
OvR helped Tincuta get IDs, birth certificates and a federal
children keep asking for food and we just have to feed
allowance for her children. The organization also helped
them. The worst part comes when they get sick …
her family prepare documents for renting their house.
I wish at least for them to be healthy.
All of them now have access to a family doctor.
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regina iancu
“We are many and it’s very hard. We need food every
“We used to live having no birth certificates or IDs for
day, milk for the young ones, shoes and clothes for the
our children, because we had no money. Mrs. Mihaela
ones in school. I didn’t have any money to get birth
got papers for us all. Now I get allowances for all my
certificates for the children, but Mrs. Mihaela from
children. [For the future] I wish my children to be
OvR helped us.
healthy, and that they never have to live like me.”
“My husband earns some money with the horses [carrying
OvR helped Regina obtain IDs and birth certificates
things for the people in his wagon]. I stay home with
for her children, and enrolled her son in a local OvR
the children. I don’t have time for a job and I don’t
kindergarten. Without electricity her son must finish his
know what I could do anyway.
homework by sunset; otherwise it is very difficult to see
elena diaconu holds her romanian identity card. lengthy forms can make obtaining an id a difficult process for many roma people who are illiterate. an id is crucial to finding employment, getting an education and being eligible for children’s allowances. over the years, ovr has helped over 600 adults and children get id’s and birth certificates.
by the candlelight.
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monica rosmarin
“I am a housewife, I have 15 children. It’s not easy.
Three of her children are enrolled in OvR’s Sotron
Every day I wake up at five o’clock and the first thing
preschool program and have not missed one day of class.
I like to do is to pray to God for my family. I cook
Monica accompanies her children to take part in their
breakfast for my children, then I do the housework:
learning process. Before OvR, the stress of housework
I wash, I clean and everything else. I am ill and there
and caring for 15 children left Monica little time for
are no jobs so I am forced to live on child support.”
individual needs. But during Sotron activities she is able to spend time with each child and supports them all.
“we’ve asked the children how the program influences them and what makes them take part in the activities. Words like learning, joy, fun, knowledge, socialization and friendship came up in almost every answer.” ovr teacher dana muntean.
ovr currently serves 500 children from impoverished families with year-round educational programs including after-school activities, preschool, specialized classes for older children and summer school.
OvR works with local schools across Romania to
They got involved and helped us become a family that
improve enrollment and bolster existing curriculum with
learns and celebrates its successes together.” A teacher
teacher training, after-school programs and sports teams.
notes that “the school drop-out rate has decreased
Valentina Vasile, principal of a school in Potlogi, says,
significantly since OvR started its program. Children
“OvR staff brought a breath of fresh air to the school
come to school regularly and they are aware now of the
community and adapted education models to our needs.
importance of education in their lives.”
Children come to school regularly and they are aware now of the importance of education in their lives.”
the rosmarin family
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andreea
heliteanu
gabriel
petrea
alexandru
mihai cornel
What is your favorite thing about school?
What is your favorite thing about school?
“I like writing, reading, drawing and sports. The
“I like to color.”
nita
school teaches people to read and write, it helps What is your favorite thing about school?
What do you like most about school?
“I love drawing using markers. I love drawing flowers
“I like Romanian and math the most.
and making cards.”
I go to school to learn.”
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“When I grow up I want to be a doctor because I like
“I want to become a cop because I want to take care
giving shots. I have a little brother and I take care of
of people and to save the world from bad guys.”
them make something of themself.” What do you want to be when you grown up?
ungureanu
What do you want to be when you grown up?!
“I want to be a football player ‘cause I also like to play the ball.”
“When I grow up I want to be a policeman to drive a car and to fine people.”
him when he is ill; I give him tea and watch him.” All seven members of the Petrea family live in two Andreea came to the Stefanita after school program
rooms of a government-subsidized house, and the
in 2007, after her mother asked OvR to help her
children’s allowance is the family’s main source of
daughter with homework. Her mother explained that
income. Gabriel’s parents only attended four years
she had attended school for only two years and could
of primary school, and want their children to get a
not help her daughter at all.
better education.
During her time in OvR’s after school program,
Gabriel attends OvR’s Primary Kaleidoscope school
Andreea has met other children in similar situations.
programs. Since he started the after school program in
She has overcome her shyness and her fear of asking
2006, his grades have improved, he is more organized
for help with her homework. Her confidence is growing.
and more receptive. OvR says that Gabriel socializes more, plays for the basketball team and his selfconfidence
alexandru
georgiana
What is favorite thing about school?
What is favorite thing about school?
“I like to write, draw and talk about planets.
“I like to write my name, draw and play with children.”
I like to listen to stories.”
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I want to be a doctor to check the patients.”
ciubotaru
Now in the fourth grade, Andreea never misses class
increases daily. In one school semester he only
What do you want to be when you grow up?
despite living far from school. She has learning
missed two classes.
“I want to be a cop.”
pruteanu
difficulties, but she has made considerable progress during the last two years.
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gina dumitrita
ionut donatelo
What is your favorite thing about school?!
What is your favorite thing about school?
“At school I enjoy learning. I like sports and
“I like sports, to play football with children and
French the most.”
I like English so that I can make my way around
roberto claudiu
simona
in other countries.”
What is your favorite thing about school?
What is favorite thing about school?
“When I grow up I want to become a shop seller,
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I like coming to school because I learn how to
“I like to write, to learn, and to play with the other
so I can give children what they ask, and teach
“I want to be a cop (the one that wears a mask) to
write. I’m proud to learn math, too.”
children. It’s warm and clean in school and I see a
them what they have to do in a shop and how to
control the bad people that cannot be controlled
count. That’s why I will learn the multiplication
by the police.”
stirbu
What do you want to be when you grown up?
lupu
table very well.”
chirita
What do you want to be when you grow up?
botez
lot of beautiful things here.”
“I want to be a teacher like Mr. Aurelian because
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I want to teach children what they should know.”
“I want to be a doctor for sick children. I want to give them good treatment so they can be healthy.”
Roberto’s has no furniture or any basic comforts. His
alexandra
bican
valentina adriana
dorobantu
mother stays home and takes care of Roberto and his
In 2002 Simona’s mother came to OvR asking for
two brothers. His father is a street cleaner for a local
help. OvR found her mother a job and enrolled
sanitation company. Despite of all these difficulties
her three children in school.
Roberto comes to school every day, never missing one of Mr. Aurelian’s classes.
Simona and her siblings were integrated into kindergarten and a Stefanita afterschool program. They now receive help with their homework and learn
What is your favorite thing about school?
What is your favorite thing about school?
“I like to play with the children and go through
“I like to make trees of little woods, to make
the books in the bookshelves.”
little crowns.”
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I want to be a teacher to teach children beautiful
“A teacher at Finetti because there is a lot
things (drawing and writing).”
of chocolate.”
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IT and English. OvR reports that Simona is hard working and enjoys being a leader.
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euro antonio
mariana beatrice
What is your favorite thing about school?
What is your favorite thing about school?
“I like to write and read the letters I learned and I
“I like to play, learn, write, eat and go outside. I like
like to have a look through books. Each day I like
to play hide-and-seek.”
baragau
to say which day of the week it is and I like to play with my toys.”
nita
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I want to stay little [Why?] well … because I like
What do you want to be when you grow up?
being little. If I work I want to work with Vali, Vali
“I want to be a TV news presenter to say what happens
is my friend. I want to work in a pharmacy, to work
if you are hit by the cars, so that one can watch out
with toys or to work with little children.”
not to die. I would also like to present the weather.”
ionut silviu
dochiu
aurelian ignat teaches 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade students in ovr educational programs.
abel
rosmarin
Roma communities have been oppressed and ignored
crucial to improving life for Roma families. As these
for centuries. Generations of Roma people grew up in
children continue to grow, and believe in their own
poverty and had access to little or no education. Hope
abilities they will bring the change their parents have
for a future was unimaginable.
wished for. Principal Vasile reflects on Roma children’s future: “OvR offers the possibility to take a stand in
What is your favorite thing about school?
What is your favorite thing about school?
“To play with children and to write.”
“Sports and math. I like coming to school, because
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I will get a bicycle, and I will work on a car.”
I have to learn so I won’t be stupid.” What do you want to be when you grow up?
“I want to be a football player because I like it and I’m good at it.”
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OvR is working with the first generation that can
the community, to use their life experience to their
change this. On the long road ahead, OvR’s work is
advantage and make them proud of who they are.”
ovr musterstrasse 34 55404 musterstadt +01 02 34 52 3528 info@mustermail.com www.musterpage.com
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