Projects
Community Education
Status: Currently seeking funding/volunteers
Community Education Play
Project details
This began with community education in fire safety in a rural district but has now grown to involve both city and rural areas of Romania and is also widening its scope to include other health and safety issues. We are in partnership with Romanian County Emergency services and an Education Department and are using a multi media approach, often involving children.
Funding required
In order to contribute towards costs such as film production, publications and posters, we are seeking a sum of £2,000.
Volunteer opportunities
Expert trainers in health and safety who are willing to offer their expertise by spending a week or two in Romania or helping to develop media particularly relevant to Romania could be very useful. Please contact us for more details.
Education of Roma (Gypsy) children - 3 linked projects
Status: Currently seeking donors/sponsors/volunteers
Roma children enjoying a snack
Project details
Many Roma children never go to school and only about 30% complete Primary Education. RO-MAN-AID have been asked for help by two village communities and in addition we are also carrying out a long term research project because the problems are so widespread.
The village of Girisu de Cris have recently increased the enrolment of Roma children, but they are experiencing many difficulties in the classroom. RO-MAN-AID has agreed to help develop a strategy to combat some of the problems.
We also wish to support the Tulca Foundation and their Kindergarten and Homework Centre project. Most Roma parents in this area are illiterate and many families live in one small room, making help at home with schoolwork an impossibility!
Funding required
The Tulca Association need funds to provide sanitary and washing facilities within the Centre. The school and kindergarten in Girisu de Cris need funding for the scheme to help integrate Roma children successfully into the mainstream school and to support older children who wish to stay on at school to pass examinations which will enable them, as adults, to become employed. Any donations, no matter how small, can help with these projects. We are also considering a sponsorship scheme for the older children. If you are interested in this please contact us.
Volunteer opportunities
We are interested in volunteers who would like to help in the summer with the youngest Roma children preparing for school or kindergarten. Please contact us for more details.
Funding for school transport projects urgently needed - Transport Bursaries for Children Aged 14-16
Status: Currently seeking funding / sponsor / bursary
Rural areas in Romania remain very poor, rarely having luxuries of a mains water supply or adequate sanitation. Several years ago we were able to support the Giris community by helping to provide hygienic facilities in the school and two public pumps with drinking water for the village. Both projects were vitally important for the village. Now there is another urgent problem. Children will not be able take advantage of modern facilities such as computers because two villages need to share their teaching resources, but this will not be possible without transport. Older children who need to go to the city school are also in difficulties.
Transport Bursaries for Children Aged 14 – 16 Years
Cut backs caused by Romania’s economic problems have made it impossible for some children in a rural community to complete their compulsory year of training.
The bursary allowing free bus passes for fourteen – sixteen year old children who need to continue their education was stopped two years ago making life difficult for some and impossible for others even to contemplate finishing their schooling, however now the Government has announced that public salaries are to be cut by 25% and pensions and other social payments by 15%.One example of hardship is a family with three school aged children who, after the salary cut will need to pay 25% of his salary to pay for his eldest child simply to travel to school . His daughter has worked very hard to gain a place at the school of her choice, but is now uncertain whether or not she can attend. If she leaves school now, there are no chances of any employment. This year there are about five children who have all had excellent attendance records in the current year who are in this position.
We are looking for individuals or groups that would provide a two year bursary for one of these children. The financial commitment would be approximately £25 per month over the two year period. RO-MAN-AID will visit the children’s schools regularly to ensure that they have a good attendance and are working hard at their studies. Any child who does not have a good report without a satisfactory reason would lose the bursary. We will keep sponsors informed regularly.
Please contact us if you can help, Tel 01624 823065 or email romanaid@iom.com
Minibus Project
Status: Currently seeking funding
£10, 000 urgently needed to provide a minibus
Cut backs in teachers and reduced pupil numbers mean the Giris and Tarian Village Schools will have to combine the classes in the top four years. These children will all be based at Tarian School in one village but because of the lack of space in a single school, some of the facilities needed, such as the technology laboratory will need to remain in Giris village meaning that the children will need to travel regularly between the two villages.
A minibus is therefore urgently needed for the start of the September term in 2010. The mayor and councillors will be able to pay for the running costs of the vehicle but are not able to apply for a grant to cover all the initial capital costs.
We need to raise £10,000 for our share in this project.
We need to raise £10,000 for our share in this project.
Please contact us if you can help, Tel 01624 823065 or email romanaid@iom.com
Multiple Sclerosis Day Centre, Oradea, Romania
Status: Currently seeking donors/sponsors/volunteers
A meal is provided each day at the centre
Project details
Working with Bihor MS Foundation, RO-MAN-AID established a multi functional centre which provides rehabilitation treatment together with social and medical care. It has a team of professional staff and now also provides a home visiting service.
Funding required
The Day Centre has now been operating since 1995 and the building will shortly be completely renovated and re equipped, so we also are helping with a project to provide temporary accommodation for six months by converting the summer pavilion. RO-MAN-AID sponsors the cost of a part time nurse and would love to be able to provide funding for additional staff. Funding either towards either the pavilion conversion or staffing, no matter how little will be extremely useful.
Volunteer opportunities
Those with relevant medical or social work experience would be very valuable if they are able to offer their services. Also, there is an opportunity for those who wish to help with the summer pavilion conversion. Please contact us for more details.
Roma Communities Development Project (Regeneration of Villages programme)
Status: Currently seeking donors/sponsors/volunteers
Villages regeneration
Project details
More than 600 Roma (gypsies) live in three small communities on the outskirts of Giri* and T*rian villages. As you can see from the photo of their homes, they live in abject poverty. No houses have water,
many do not have electricity and some cannot afford the wood to heat their homes during the long severe winters. Families with six or more children live in a one room mud brick house with leaky roofs.
In partnership with the mayor and councillors, together with Roma communities we are developing a programme to provide proper infrastructure (made up roads, water, drainage, electricity, adequate house foundations, etc.) Roma families in greatest need will be able to become part of a housing association where they will work together to build new three room houses with a bathroom and have a little land where they may keep a horse, chickens, pigs or cows. This will help integrate them into village life and provide a little support for the families.
We have also been invited to partner the Greco Catholic Church in the village who have an ideal plot of land beside the school in Giri* which is suitable for building a social centre which will help support all the poorest in the village with basic needs such as washing facilities as well as help for children attending the local kindergarten or school.
Funding required
Together with our partners, we will be applying for grants, however, donations will also be needed.
Volunteer opportunities
Volunteer workers for building and practical work come from the Roma communities, however please read next project for summer help with Roma children.
Rural Fire Service and Fire Service Training
Status: Currently seeking donors/sponsors
Romanian volunteers with their Manx trainers
Project details
This project started in the spring of 2008 with the donation of fire engines from the Isle of Man. Training is being given in fire fighting skills and in the organisation of a Volunteer Service in Girisu de Cris, the first of its kind in Romania. It has now developed into a fruitful partnership with the County Emergency Services who have also asked for help in some training areas. Initial talks with the Austrian Fire Service in order to supplement the training are being planned and a second rural fire service, using the "Giris" service as a model may soon start being developed.
Funding required
We need money to provide logistic training in organising the volunteer fire service as well as reinforcing skills taught in the initial training.
Volunteer opportunities
We already have volunteers selected for this project.
