Roma Education Fund

09/10/2026

🤖 What happens when curiosity meets technology?
For 45 Roma students in Shuto Orizari, it meant getting hands-on with STEM and robotics for the first time.

💻 Computers.
🧩 LEGO structures.
⚙️ Programming.
🧠 Problem-solving.
🤝 Teamwork.

But this experience was about more than robots.
It was about giving young people the opportunity to experiment, make mistakes, ask questions and discover what they are capable of.
Because every child deserves access to quality STEM education, and the chance to imagine a future shaped by their own skills and ambitions.

From curiosity to competence, one experience at a time. 🚀

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08/10/2026

A mandate is temporary. The impact of leadership shouldn't be. Read more

Winning a mandate is one thing. Turning it into decisions, policies and results that outlast that mandate takes skill, experience and a willingness to keep learning.

And some of the most valuable lessons come from those who have faced similar challenges before.

That is where Sherutnipe comes in: connecting Roma political leaders across borders to exchange experience, learn from one another and strengthen their ability to deliver.
Learn more about Sherutnipe and how you can engage in your country → https://romafordemocracy.org/act-with-us

Petre Florin Manole Roma for Europe Roma Education Fund European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture - ERIAC REDI - Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative

07/10/2026

Employers are looking for workers. People are looking for jobs. Yet too often, they still fail to find each other. This was at the center of a discussion in Novi Sad on September 30, bringing together representatives of the National Employment Service, educational institutions, civil society and the private sector, with the participation of the Roma Education Fund (REF).

The conversation focused on a labour market that is changing faster than many traditional recruitment practices. Employers need new ways to reach candidates, particularly those who remain outside conventional recruitment channels, while candidates need clearer and faster pathways towards jobs that actually exist.

For us, this goes directly to how we approach Skills & Employment. Our role cannot stop at preparing Roma women and men for the labour market. We need to understand where the jobs are, what employers actually need, develop the right skills and connect people directly with concrete opportunities.

That also means working differently with employers: not approaching them only when we have candidates ready for placement, but involving them earlier in identifying skills needs, designing relevant training and creating pathways into sustainable employment. Because the objective is not training. The objective is employment.

The meeting was organized within project “EU Regional Action for Roma Education: Increased Education Support and Opportunities for Roma Students in the Western Balkans and Turkey (RARE), phase II” funded by the European Commission through the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations and is implemented by REF Romania and REF Serbia.

06/10/2026

In Shuto Orizari, North Macedonia, Dr. Meri Berat - a Roma oncologist and Roma Education Fund alumna — opened an important conversation about cancer, prevention and the importance of seeking medical care in time.

Speaking in Romanes, she discussed breast, prostate and lung cancer, warning signs, risk factors and the importance of professional medical check-ups.

But her presence meant more than sharing medical information.

Years ago, Dr. Berat was a Roma student building her own educational path. Today, she is an oncologist returning to her community to share her knowledge and encourage others to take care of their health.

Her story is a powerful example of how investing in Roma education can create professional expertise that eventually comes back to strengthen the community. ❤️

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05/10/2026

📚 Four Roma figures enter children’s literature.

Charlie Chaplin, Romica Puceanu, Carmen Amaya and Nicolae Gheorghe become the central characters of four illustrated children’s books, launched on 2 October at the British Council Hub in Bucharest as part of the third edition of BARE RROMA developed by Asociația Cu Alte Cuvinte (CUAC) and Romania.

Four stories about art, music, cinema, dance, research and identity. Four remarkable lives now making their way into schools and libraries, giving more children the opportunity to discover Roma role models and ensuring that Roma heritage finds its rightful place in education. 📖

The books were written by eight young Roma authors, students of the Department of Romani Language at the University of Bucharest, and are accompanied by pedagogical guides for teachers and librarians.

One of the stories introduces children to sociologist Nicolae Gheorghe. At the launch, our new colleague Sara Vasile, Advocacy Expert at the REF Network, spoke about Nicolae, whom she had the privilege of knowing personally, and about the significance of a book that succeeds in transforming an extremely complex intellectual and political biography into a story about identity and discovery.

All four books will also be freely available in digital format, in Romanian–Romani and English–Romani editions.

👉 Read more in comments.

Roma for Europe Roma for Democracy FoundationREDI - Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture - ERIAC

30/09/2026

🎓 A new group of participants has taken their first step towards gaining a professional qualification!

Participants from Zizin, Brașov County, Romania, have started a professional qualification course for retail assistants, organised as part of the project “Your Future in the Labour Market! – Training and Professional Development Programme.”

This marks an important first step towards gaining a qualification that is relevant to the labour market and opening the door to new professional opportunities.
Over the coming weeks, participants will combine theoretical and practical training, developing the skills and knowledge needed to work as retail sales assistants.

👏 We are happy to have them with us on this journey and wish them every success throughout their training!

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The project “Your Future in the Labour Market! – Training and Professional Development Programme”, MySMIS 2021 Code: 330030, is co-financed by the European Union through the Education and Employment Programme 2021–2027.

29/09/2026

For people who have had to leave their homes and rebuild their lives in a new country, a sense of belonging can begin with something very simple: being welcomed.

For Ukrainian refugees, moments like these can create opportunities to connect with others, discover new friendships and feel part of the community, even when home is far away.

🎶🎭🎨 At Together in the Park event in Romania, music, dance, theatre, creative workshops and interactive activities brought people of different ages, backgrounds and languages together.

💙 Sometimes, belonging starts with a conversation, a smile, a shared activity or simply spending time together.

That is why inclusive community spaces matter. They create opportunities for people to meet, learn from one another and build connections beyond language, culture or country of origin.

🌍🤝 We were happy to see children and teenagers from REF’s Complementary Education Centres taking part in Together in the Park and sharing this experience with people from different backgrounds.

💙 We are grateful to Green Revolution – Roaba de Cultura and UNHCR România for creating a welcoming space where people can meet, connect and enjoy being together.

Because sometimes, building a new sense of home starts with feeling that you belong.

24/09/2026

Closing Conference of the GIZ Project “Support to Social Inclusion in Serbia”

Representatives of Serbia, Marijana Rakić and Jovana Čolić, took part in the closing conference of the project “Support to Social Inclusion in Serbia”, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

With the support of GIZ, the REF implemented the project “Guiding Young Roma to Quality Education and Employment – QualiROM”, from August 2024 to July 2025. The project was part of the broader “Support to Social Inclusion in Serbia” initiative.

During the panel “Results Achieved: Good Practices and Experiences,” Marijana Rakić presented the results of the project, as well as the Roma Education Fund’s current work.

Through the project:
-195 young Roma received support through various programmes aimed at improving their employability;
- 34 young Roma across Serbia received professional development opportunities;
- 22 agreements were signed with employers from the public, civil society and private sectors;
-14 young Roma gained employment.

Behind every number is a person, their story, and an opportunity to take a step forward.

We were especially happy to have Jovana Jovanović, a doctor of dental medicine and one of the success stories of our project, with us at the event. Jovana shared her experience of professional training and the employment opportunity that followed the support she received through the project.

“Looking back, I can see how much I have progressed – I became more confident, more efficient, and more independent. I am not the same person I was when I started. Professional internships in Serbia are most often unpaid, so the scholarship enabled me to continue learning and developing my skills while receiving financial support. Thanks to the Roma Education Fund, I had access to high-quality materials, a wide range of clinical experiences, and an incredible, supportive team at the dental practice. My mentor was wonderful – always available and always kind.” - Jovana Jovanović, REF alumni

23/09/2026

From education to employment: creating pathways for Roma youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina

On 18 September, and Roma Association “Euro Rom” Tuzla, brought together institutions, employment services, civil society organisations and private-sector representatives for an Employment Forum in Tuzla.

The discussions focused on the opportunities and barriers faced by young Roma women and men when moving from education into the labour market, and on the importance of stronger connections between education, skills, employers and employment opportunities, and was presented the findings of the Policy Analysis Report “Bridging Education and Employment.

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The Employment Forum was organised within the framework of the SEC-BIH-03 project “Supporting Roma Secondary School Students through Scholarships, Mentoring and Tutoring in Tuzla Canton”, implemented as part of the regional project “Regional Action for Roma Education: Increased Educational Support and Opportunities for Roma Students in the Western Balkans and Türkiye (RARE)”, Phase 2, with financial support from DG ENEST.

21/09/2026

🤝 Building more inclusive employment opportunities for young Roma

On September 16, 2026, Roma Education Fund Serbia and the Employers’ Union of Vojvodina signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in Novi Sad.

The partnership aims to strengthen opportunities for young Roma women and men by connecting education, vocational training, skills development and employment with the real needs of the labour market.

👉 More details in comments ⬇