Roma Education Fund

Roma Education Fund Building Resilient Roma Communities through Education

Labour shortages and demographic decline are among the biggest challenges facing the Western Balkans today. At the same ...
05/06/2026

Labour shortages and demographic decline are among the biggest challenges facing the Western Balkans today. At the same time, thousands of Roma women and men remain excluded from employment opportunities despite their skills, talent, and potential.

This week in Belgrade, REF Serbia brought together institutions, employers, employment services, trade unions, and civil society organizations to discuss practical solutions for expanding labour market inclusion and unlocking Roma economic potential. 🤝

Building stronger connections between education, skills development, and employment is not only about inclusion — it is also about creating more resilient labour markets and sustainable economic growth across the region. 🌍

Read more through the link in comments below.

More than 20 children from the schools in Târlungeni and Zizin recently visited the Accenture office in Brașov, Romani...
04/06/2026

More than 20 children from the schools in Târlungeni and Zizin recently visited the Accenture office in Brașov, Romania, as part of the Open Doors event marking the completion of Digital Skills Academy program. 💻

For many of the children, this was an opportunity to discover new environments, meet professionals, explore the world of technology, and imagine future possibilities for themselves.

Through the Digital Skills Academy, children develop essential digital competencies, learn about online safety, creativity, critical thinking, and discover how technology can become a tool for learning, expression, and future opportunities.

We believe that access to digital education is key to unlocking potential and expanding opportunities. That is why we are building spaces where Roma children can learn, explore, create, and develop the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 🌍❤️

Read more about our three-year partnership with Accenture Romania and how we are expanding access to digital education for 280 children across Romania through the link in the comments ⬇

03/06/2026

ERIAC and the DAAD Artists-in-Berlin Program jointly announce the second edition of the ERIAC–DAAD Residency Programme for Arts and Media.

The 2026 edition turns to literature and literary practices, with a particular focus on Romani writers, poets, and literary voices.

The residency provides time, space, mentoring, and institutional support for reflection, research, and networking in Berlin, as well as opportunities to connect with local and international professionals. It also offers the possibility for public engagement through artist talks, exhibitions, presentations, or performances.

The residency is developed in dialogue with ERIAC’s ongoing initiative to establish the Romani PEN, a transnational community of writers, poets, translators, journalists, and cultural practitioners.

Duration: 1 month
Location: Berlin, Germany
Stipend: EUR 3,000

Deadline: 3 June 2026, 17:00 CET

in Kragujevac, Serbia, REF Serbia joined local institutions, employers, and public authorities in a new partnership fo...
03/06/2026

in Kragujevac, Serbia, REF Serbia joined local institutions, employers, and public authorities in a new partnership focused on expanding employment opportunities and strengthening labor market inclusion for Roma communities.

At a time when the Western Balkans are facing labor shortages and growing demand for skilled workers, investing in Roma education, employability, and talent is not only a social commitment, it is a strategic economic investment for the future.

This collaboration is about building real connections between education, skills development, and employment while creating sustainable pathways toward economic participation and independence. ✨

Read more about this initiative through the link in comments.

🎈 Celebrating in Kostolac, Serbia! On June 1, our colleagues from REF Serbia brought together children, parents, and c...
02/06/2026

🎈 Celebrating in Kostolac, Serbia!

On June 1, our colleagues from REF Serbia brought together children, parents, and community members for the "Everybody, Let's Play!" event - a day filled with creativity, movement, learning, and joy.

💦 Rain may have arrived, but it certainly did not stop the fun. :)

Beyond the laughter and excitement, the event created something even more valuable: new friendships, stronger community connections, and meaningful conversations with parents.

We believe that the best education programs are built together with the communities we serve. Throughout the day, parents had the opportunity to meet our team, learn more about REF's work, and share their experiences, aspirations, needs, and challenges.
These conversations are essential to our community-centered approach, helping us co-create programs that respond to community needs and create lasting impact for children, parents, and communities.

A special thank you to the Successful Women of Kostolac NGO for their partnership, dedication, and energy in helping make this day such a success.

Today, on our Complementary Education Center in Bucharest, Romania, was filled with laughter, curiosity, colors, and d...
01/06/2026

Today, on our Complementary Education Center in Bucharest, Romania, was filled with laughter, curiosity, colors, and discoveries. 💙❤️💚

The children explored virtual worlds through VR headsets, met robots, experimented with 3D printing, enjoyed face painting, games, and many moments of joy shared together.

Beyond the fun, days like this remind us why these spaces matter. We want every child to have the opportunity to explore, create, ask questions, and discover their talents. Through science, technology, creativity, and learning, children gain not only knowledge, but also confidence in their ability to shape the .

A big thank you to Precis Research Institute Bucharest & Universitatea POLITEHNICA din București for bringing robots, innovation, and plenty of excitement to our celebration.

We are also grateful to our wonderful volunteers, students from SNSPA and the University of Bucharest completing their practical internships with REF. Their energy, creativity, and dedication helped make this day truly special for the children.

And thank you to Sector 6 City Hall for the photos and for supporting this beautiful event.

Happy Children’s Day to all the children who inspire us every day with their imagination, courage, and endless potential! 🌟

Roma Education Fund Romania continues its support for Roma refugee children from Ukraine through the One-Stop-Shop (OSS)...
29/05/2026

Roma Education Fund Romania continues its support for Roma refugee children from Ukraine through the One-Stop-Shop (OSS) Center in Bucharest 🤝🇺🇦

With the support of UNHCR, the center will continue providing Romanian language classes, digital and IT education, homework support, creative workshops, and socio-emotional activities designed to help children feel safe, included, and empowered.

“What has been most meaningful for us is that both the children and the educators who were involved in the Center until the end of 2025 chose to remain connected to this space voluntarily. The children felt a strong need to see one another, to belong, and to continue learning and growing together. They consistently returned to the Center because it had become a place of safety, trust, and shared experiences. The continuation of the project in 2026 comes at a crucial and very timely moment, as the children increasingly see the Center as their second home, a place where they feel supported, valued, and encouraged to develop academically, emotionally, and socially” – Ioana Dorneanu, national coordinator of the Complementary Education Centers.

Together with our partners, we remain committed to creating access to education, protection, and equal opportunities for vulnerable refugee children affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

📌 Read more at the link in comments ⬇️

📍We are in Croatia for Human Rights Odyssey, an international Erasmus+ training program focused on the future of human r...
28/05/2026

📍We are in Croatia for Human Rights Odyssey, an international Erasmus+ training program focused on the future of human rights in the digital era, organized by ACT O'Clock and DrONe - udruga za društveni razvoj i neformalno obrazovanje

This week, our colleagues Ider & Adrian are exploring some of the most important questions shaping today’s societies: how are human rights evolving in a world increasingly shaped by technology, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and digital identities? How do we protect vulnerable communities in fragmented online spaces? And how do we build participation, representation, and trust in an increasingly digital world?

“I believe topics such as algorithmic discrimination, bioethics, and genetics must be approached with the utmost responsibility, because the future of technological development must always remain aligned with the fundamental values of human rights, Ider Stefan coordinator of the R&D division within REF.

For us, these conversations are not just theoretical. They are deeply connected to broader discussions about education, digital skills, participation, and the need to ensure that our communities are not excluded from the rapidly changing digital future already being built around us.

“Participating in workshops like this gives me a clearer perspective on how digital transformation is reshaping not only the labor market, but also the way young people understand participation, identity, and opportunity. Continuous learning and interdisciplinary skills are becoming essential for navigating an increasingly connected and technology-driven society”, Adrian Taba Career guidance and counseling officer within REFRomania.

Meet Alex Stan – creator and influencer, activist since the age of 18, and a passionate promoter of Roma history, an...
28/05/2026

Meet Alex Stan – creator and influencer, activist since the age of 18, and a passionate promoter of Roma history, and culture. He is also our communication officer.😎

This year, Alex decided to represent us as one of the main swimmers at Swimathon București, one of the largest fundraising events in Romania.

He will swim to turn our two newly opened Complementary Education Centres in Romania into spaces where technology sparks curiosity, creativity, confidence, and imagination.

"When I was a child, I dreamed of having a smartphone. All my classmates had one. Maybe I didn’t fully realize it back then, but that phone gave them an advantage I didn’t have. When I finally received my first phone, I felt what the opportunity for a better education could look like. Today, being older, I swim so that Roma children can experience the newest technology without restrictions. I swim with the hope of a future where no Roma child will look at their classmates and feel like they have less, or that they are worth less" - Alex Stan

If you would like to support Alex and our work, you can make a donation

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