Ghiulizar is one of more than 50 children from Castelu who come twice a week to remedial education classes, where they also receive a hot meal as part of the project„Together for a better life in Castelu”.
"Since she has been coming to remedial education classes, she has not been absent from school either. She is very motivated and she loves to write."
Happiness is bairam, baclavale and ayran - said the children, and the education specialists from the New Horizons Foundation wrote their story about happiness for them to practice reading. 30 primary school children were supported in June 2021 in a first rapid literacy session to develop their reading-writing skills through an approach that values their life experiences, the language they are familiar with.
The Youth Club provides a creative environment, based on non-formal and informal education, where participants discover all kinds of new things and personal development skills. Children from all over the village come to the same place, working both individually and in teams, regardless of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The October teambuilding session in Castelu was attended by busy mothers who wanted to get back to their children as soon as possible and fathers who had to chop wood for the winter and many other chores around the house. There was even a grandmother, full of energy, very curious and eager to learn. For them, it was quite an effort to participate, but it was a first step in discovering completely new things.
The involvement of people from the community in project decision-making is a very important issue. To facilitate better communication between residents and local authorities, Reality Check organises teambuilding sessions with its partners. These lead to better mutual knowledge and a higher level of trust. For most members of the Local Initiative Group (community representatives), the invitation to participate in such an event was a premiere.
The Local Action Group meets regularly to discuss grassroots problems and possible solutions. Although the pandemic has come with a number of restrictions, meetings have been held whenever possible.
The hot meal that children receive as part of the project makes a huge difference in many ways: children are healthier, they concentrate better and attendance rates have increased.
Virgil is one of the 150 children in Ponorâta (Coroieni) who benefit from the daily hot meal.
„I didn't know how to trust others. Now I have learned to trust others and myself. I've also learnt to ignore discouragement and never give up", said Zoro before leaving for home in Ponorâta (Coroieni) after the Life camp.
Zoro (the second child on the left) loved the story of the "Deaf Frog", who managed to climb the tower, precisely because she was deaf and did not hear the others doubting her.
Diana, Sidonia and Nicoleta are happy! Together they won the first prize in their age category at the Coroieni Education Relay.
350 children from all over Coroieni commune (Baba, Coroieni, Dealu Mare, Drăghia, Vălenii Lăpușului, Ponorâta) ran side by side, and for several hours joy and determination were written on everyone's faces. At the starting line everyone was equal, regardless of the situation of their families, and at the end of the race everyone was happy and fulfilled.
„We look at our own hands and those of our neighbors' and see that they are different, just like our own bodies are different insidesays Irina Vasilescu, President of the Pe Stop Association, partner in the two projects and organiser of the Health Education courses.
Given the difficult access to health services in vulnerable communities and the young age at which most girls from vulnerable communities become mothers, the Health Education courses are extremely useful and very well received by the participants.
For five days in September, classrooms in Ponorata were transformed into medical offices. Three medical volunteers from Germany provided almost 200 dental and general medical consultations.
Often, in disadvantaged communities, people's ailments are not treated in time because they don't have money for transport, tests and medicines. When they do reach specialist doctors, they are often treated with indifference and don't understand the diagnoses, can't read prescriptions and find it difficult to follow the treatment plan correctly. Regular medical caravans are a good opportunity for adults and children to be seen by a doctor who has the patience to see them and explain the next steps.
The medical caravan was a joint effort of the Die Johanniter team, the Reality Check and Asociația OvidiuRo Associations and the Coroieni Town Hall and Secondary School.
