“When are the gentlemen from Bucharest coming back?” is the question asked by students in Letca Nouă, Giurgiu County, after the conclusion of the first theater, music, dance, and photography workshops. Carried out by the Amfiteatru Foundation, the project “Together for a Better Future in Giurgiu County” managed not only to pull children out of the monotony of the vacation, but also to rekindle their interest in school.
The program aims to support over 200 Roma students through integrated measures of inclusive education, counseling, and creative workshops, involving nearly 400 parents and teaching staff alike to combat school dropout at the community-wide level.
In a dialogue about the reality on the ground, Mr. Claudiu Lucan, the director of Gymnasium School No. 1 in Letca Nouă and an expert in target group recruitment, explained that the intervention arose as a direct necessity in the locality marked by marginalization, poverty, and a low level of education among adults. As he noted, most parents have not graduated from gymnasium, and the lack of schooling in the community generated all other social difficulties, which is why the project aims to bring school back to the center of attention, helping children and parents realize the importance of education.
Although the initiative was initially met with slight reluctance by both students and teachers, the children’s openness appeared quickly. Already familiar with such activities from previous projects, they became extremely eager to get involved: “Even though the activities ended last week, they are very enthusiastic about the ones coming up in September. From the expression on their faces and the questions they were asking, such as ‘when is the next one?’, we can deduce that they liked it very much.”
Beyond the artistic and non-formal education part, the project includes special counseling sessions dedicated to girls, aimed at preventing early marriages. Although it is a sensitive subject in the community, and the initial reactions of the parents were reluctant, open dialogue helped raise awareness of the risks, even though changing mentalities remains a long-term process that requires time and patience.
However, the intervention is felt across the entire school environment. Mentoring programs brought a remarkable openness among teachers, and the effect is reflected directly in the classroom: “I see the teaching staff much more empathetic after these programs. They entered the children’s world much easier, got to know their problems, and understand their needs,” explains Mr. Claudiu Lucan. This closeness transformed the children’s experience at school: “The atmosphere is changed for the better, the children are much more integrated into school life. Students no longer miss classes, they are attentive during lessons, receptive, and participate actively.”
Thus, through collaboration and trust, the school becomes an open place where children come with pleasure, and parents and teachers find a common language. In addition, when the environment becomes welcoming, class attendance follows its natural course, and school dropout ceases to be a threat.
Photo: Alex Iacob