The social and educational projects currently implemented by the Amfiteatru Foundation in Brașov County target a wide range of interventions, from supporting children through remedial programs to integrating youth and adults into the labor market. Three major initiatives of this kind are currently underway in Făgăraș municipality.
Following an interview with Androne Bogdan Ionuț, who has vast experience in running social projects for vulnerable groups in Făgăraș municipality, he explained the importance of such interventions in the area: “All the educational projects we carry out start from the premise that students living in marginalized areas of Făgăraș Municipality have access to the education system, but in schools that are somewhat segregated (…). This is also reflected in the results of recent years. There are many students who reach the 7th and 8th grades and do not know how to write or are functionally illiterate.”
To combat this phenomenon, the Amfiteatru Foundation launched the “Equal chances to education” project. The initiative helps Romani students complete their homework, offers them school and psychological counseling, organizes summer schools and cultural activities, and also tries to build a bridge of communication between parents and teachers. The results have already begun to show: “Almost 80% of the students are very enthusiastic about the project. On days with activities, children come to school in much larger numbers compared to an ordinary day. They have begun to realize the importance of attending classes,” explains Androne Bogdan Ionuț.
One of the biggest challenges of these initiatives is combating educational gaps from one generation to the next, as the lack of education among parents directly reflects on the children’s path. For this reason, the program includes family counseling services: “A parent who himself has not had access to education finds it very hard to realize its value now. However, we have noticed a change regarding parents’ mentality, in the sense that they slowly realize that only education can save their children. Many parents cannot afford to send their children to tutoring and have realized that, through these remedial classes they take within the project, they save money and, most importantly, the children are prepared for free for the national evaluation exam.“
The support of the community in Făgăraș does not stop only at children. In parallel, two other projects target vocational training for 556 people and obtaining a nationally recognized qualification certificate. These initiatives directly respond to the economic transformations in Făgăraș, where the development of the production, services, and tourism sectors has generated an increased need for qualified personnel: “There is very great interest from young people. For example, we had a lot of demand for guard and protection roles from men, and we also had demand for cleaning and commercial space maintenance. Because Făgăraș Municipality has also developed a lot in terms of tourism, accommodation units usually request a training certificate upon hiring in order to include them in their organizational chart.”
This interest is also supported by the flexibility of the training programs, often organized in a hybrid system, allowing people who work or who cannot always travel to the physical locations to follow the courses online.
To date, hundreds of people have obtained nationally recognized diplomas for trades such as goods handler, security guard, green space caretaker, cleaner, or natural products salesperson. For many, the certification meant a stable job and considerably higher wages than those of unqualified workers, and the real impact of the initiative is best seen in the community’s reaction: “All the time, many people come to us to ask when the next vocational training courses are, even during periods when we don’t have active courses.”
Through all these activities carried out in Făgăraș, the Amfiteatru Foundation reaffirms its commitment to building, through its human infrastructure program, the sustainable foundation of communities. In this way, local development is based on a complete ecosystem: one in which a child’s success at school is supported equally by the family, school, and community, and real access to vocational training is ensured through material support and counseling adapted to the real needs of the labor market. Whether we are talking about educational projects dedicated to students and parents or accredited courses for adults, change becomes durable only when acquired skills turn into capacities that remain within the community. Without trained people and without trusting relationships between citizens, schools, employers, and local institutions, no economic transformation can reach its potential. Through this strategic direction, investing in people remains the way through which Făgăraș, as well as any other community the Foundation collaborates with, efficiently capitalizes on its resources and future.