80 children engaged in artistic awareness events in four schools
The Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, in partnership with A.R.T Fusion Association and four rural schools in Bacău and Prahova counties (Coțofănești Secondary School and “Alexandru cel Bun” Secondary School, “Ion Ionescu” Secondary School, and “Laurențiu Fulga” Secondary School), organized four community awareness events in November 2023 as part of the “Partnership for Quality Education in Rural Interethnic Communities” project.
The four events aimed to raise community awareness through art, using Forum Theatre and PhotoVoice techniques.
These non-formal methods mobilized 80 Roma and Romanian children and 10 Roma women, providing them with the tools to make their voices heard and bring the issues they face to the attention of authorities.
A common message: education is for everyone
The first event took place in Berzunți on November 21, followed by a similar presentation in Coțofănești on November 22.
Before the students took the stage, rehearsals marked the final phase of a complex preparation process, during which problems affecting students at school were identified and scenes representing these challenges and the actors involved were created.
For each of the four schools, the central theme of Forum Theatre was bullying and verbal violence in schools, highlighting the significant impact of these issues on students’ lives.
The challenge posed by these events was to open a facilitated dialogue to identify solutions.
For instance, in Berzunți, the school principal was receptive to students’ suggestions, explaining to a group of female students that, despite being minors, their voices could be heard and matter.
In Coțofănești, the Photo Voice exhibition addressed themes such as unpaved and unrepaired roads and the danger of a particular route due to road collapse. Participants highlighted the need for municipal intervention to prevent potential accidents and the difficulties Roma mothers face in supporting their children materially in school, emphasizing factors such as distance to school and the cost of clothing and school supplies.
Alex Tomescu from A.R.T Fusion Association noted that the events had a significant emotional impact on participants, emphasizing the importance of open communication and mutual listening. Students, in particular, had the opportunity to express their emotions and identify solutions, creating an atmosphere of understanding and change.
Project goals
The project’s goal is to develop basic skills to ensure a quality life for both Roma and Romanian children from disadvantaged families by implementing an integrated intervention model in four rural interethnic communities (Berzunți and Coțofănești in Bacău County, Fulga de Sus and Valea Călugărească in Prahova County).
The project is carried out by the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation in partnership with A.R.T Fusion Association, Coțofănești Secondary School, “Alexandru cel Bun” Secondary School (Bacău County), “Ion Ionescu” Secondary School, and “Laurențiu Fulga” Secondary School (Prahova County), with support from the Active Citizens Fund Romania, funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The total project budget is €197,547.62.
About the Active Citizens Fund Romania:
The Active Citizens Fund Romania program is funded by the EEA Grants 2014-2021. The general objective of the Grants is to reduce economic and social disparities and strengthen bilateral relations between the 15 beneficiary states and the donor states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway).
The program is managed by a consortium consisting of the Civil Society Development Foundation, the Partnership Foundation, the Resource Center for Roma Communities, the PACT Foundation, and Frivillighet Norge, acting as the Fund Operator designated by the FMO – the Financial Mechanism Office of the EEA and Norwegian Grants. For more information about the Active Citizens Fund in Romania, please visit www.activecitizensfund.ro. For more information about the EEA and Norwegian Grants, visit www.eeagrants.ro.
