The project took place throughout a whole year, in the commune of Berliste, where the Romani community is significant. Nevo Parudimos contributed to the project as a partner, alongside the Berliste Mayor’s Office, the Romani Community “New Hope” Initiative Group and the local school.
The primary objective was achieving the improvement of the quality of life and stimulating children to complete their middle education (i.e. preventing school dropout), as well as providing a second opportunity to people who have previously abandoned their middle school formation (i.e. correcting school dropout).
In order to achieve this objective a communal road was rehabilitated, roads linking interest points in the community where rebuilt (thus contributing to the improvement of the locals quality of life) and a social-educational center was built, thus permitting educational activities to take place. The social-educational center was created with the purpose of raising the quality of education offered in the commune and thusly to diminish school dropout and illiteracy rates, both being phenomena that have increased within the ranks of the Romani students.
The social-educational center is housed within the Berliste School and hosts the following programs:
- “A second chance” – represents the teaching, by an experienced educator, of courses for those who have not finished their middle studies. People have to opportunity of attending these classes and learning to read and write;
- “School after school” – is a program through which students who have difficulty with their assignments can stay after school and do their homework or do extra work for the classes they are struggling with;
- “Non-formal Education” – sums up several educational activities aimed at Romani students, such as theater, film, fieldtrips, entertainment shows and creative workshops.
The “Improving Life in the Romani Community” project has been financed by the Romanian Fund for Social Development and the Berliste Mayor’s Office.