Since the summer of 2005 we have been running the Equal Start programme, an educational and social support project for Roma children in Slatina.

The Roma children we are working with are some of the most disadvantaged children in Europe. Many have complex and multiple needs and without our help and support they would not attend school. We support the children with weekly sessions in our centre, providing transport for them to attend, food and drinks whilst they are with us and a range of activities to encourage and support them in their school education and also to assist with the development of good social skills. We work in close partnership with School Nr 1, the school attended by all of our children and also the children’s parents, who attend regular meetings with us to help plan and evaluate the work we are doing with the children.

We are now working on expanding our Equal Start project to children in Africa and in Asia. In Africa we will be working with a school in Shimbwea, Tanzania. This a small village at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro where only 1 in 4 of the children are able to move from primary school to secondary. In Asia we will be working with a group of Cambodian children living in Thailand.

Each summer we also run a busy Summer School programme packed with a range of fun and educational activities.