Photo Voice exhibition of the Women's Advocacy Club at LARGO Association - Kyustendil

15 October 2023

Today at 11.30 a.m. was opened Photo Voice exhibition of women's advocacy club of LARGO Association "Roma woman is ....". The exhibition was opened by Annie Kovacheva - Chairperson, Women's Club, Sasho Kovachev - Chairperson and Dr. Venelin Stoychev - Advocacy Expert at LARGO Association. The foyer of the Municipal Drama Theatre, Kyustendil gathered organizers, supporters, volunteers, staff from LARGO Association, representatives of local city institutions and guests from I Have a Dream project team.

They are young, educated, beautiful, part of the Roma community, do not fit into the stereotypes usually attributed to them, and are determined to work in their chosen professions and fields of activity, and are an example for the rest of the community. The biggest challenge is to fight themselves, to believe they can. The exhibition reveals the many faces of a successful Roma woman - entrepreneur, social worker, mother, singer, small business owner, hairdresser, student, pharmacist, and showed the positive role models of successful women and girls from the Roma community in Kyustendil in their fields of realization to show that Roma women are capable of achieving a lot and their achievements can be in different lights in different fields.

The exhibition is realized within the advocacy campaign of the women's club of the LARGO Association under the project "I have a dream", and can be viewed in the lobby of the Municipal Drama Theatre, Kyustendil, until the end of the month. The exhibition will be available until the end of October 2023.

Event poster:

The project "I have a dream" is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. All responsibility for the content of the document is borne by the Association Liberal alternative for Roma civil union - LARGO in partnership with KUN Center for Equality and Diversity - Norway and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European economic space and the Operator of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria. www.activecitizensfund.bg .

I Have a Dream project is being implemented with financial support from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the EEA Financial Mechanism. The main goal of the project "I have a dream" is to test, implement and disseminate innovative methods for empowering Roma women and girls through direct advocacy.

28,7,2023

The team of the LARGO Association - Kyustendil is pleased to inform you about the progress of the implementation of the I have a dream project.

The work of the actively developed since March 2023 network of women's Roma clubs in the cities of Kyustendil, the village of Kovachevo /Septemvri Municipality/, Botevgrad, Dupnitsa, Rakitovo and Radomir. The purpose of the clubs is to support Roma women in building personal skills and developing self-confidence; visual advocacy and advocacy through art and culture; direct advocacy, as well as developing attitudes, will and skills for organizing and conducting direct advocacy campaigns. Participants discuss various topics related to problems in Roma neighborhoods /health care, infrastructure, education, development opportunities/, Roma customs, traditions, way of life, Roma cuisine, history of the Roma ethnicity, leisure activities, career development opportunities and improving the living status, the role of women in the Roma community, etc.

In parallel with the holding of the club meetings in the period March - June 2023, a series of personal soft skills trainings were held on various topics / teamwork skills, self-confidence and self-perception, combating stereotypes and prejudices, time management, opportunities for self-development/ , participation in activities and events to support the confidence, motivation and empowerment of Roma women and young girls to participate in solving important civic problems and issues of public importance.

On July 8 and 9, 2023, the participants in the clubs had the opportunity to meet and get to know each other live within the framework of the first national meeting of the representatives of the clubs, which was held in the village of Banya, commune. A reason. For two days, the women from the six settlements / Kyustendil, Kovachevo village, Botevgrad, Dupnitsa, Rakitovo and Radomir/ had the opportunity to exchange experiences, sharing the problems of different communities and looking for ways to solve them. Through role plays, discussions and working in groups, the women were able to create different advocacy strategies and plans for direct advocacy campaigns in individual localities.

As part of the informative information campaign, three video messages were produced in July and August 2023 - reports dedicated to early marriages, education and the role and dreams of Roma women.

“My biggest dream is to study medicine and study to become an anesthesiologist. I really enjoy learning about pain. I want to learn about pain and erase it from people's lives at least a little," says Zaprinka from the village of Kovachevo.

Many young people from the Roma ethnic group in our country are born and brought up in a passive position and resignation to fate, and their dreams often do not go further than to have health and understanding in the family. Education and personal development are very often a mirage, even more so - these women do not dare to dream.

In recent years, however, more and more young girls from the Roma ethnic group in our country go far beyond the established rules and norms in the community in which they live.

These women are united by the "I have a dream" project, which is implemented by the association LARGO Kyustendil in partnership with the association KUN Norway. Its main goal is to implement and spread new innovative methods for empowering Roma women and girls through personal skills and advocacy, to contribute to an environment that respects the Roma woman as a person, and women can stand up for their rights, interests and dreams. They have created their clubs as spaces to fulfill dreams without restrictions. More:

https://www.largo-dream.com/index.php/bg/news-bg

"I became a victim of early marriage. I got married at the age of 16," admits Vasi from Vrachesh. "My parents are not bad, but they still live with traditions. I had suitors coming, but I didn't want to marry someone I didn't love. I'm not sorry, I'm going to school, even though I'm small. I have now finished 10th grade, with a good grade. I go to work and home."

A global trend is to increasingly increase the age at which people start a family and become parents for the first time. The general trend of being born later also affects the Roma in Bulgaria.

Roma girls marry so early because of the strict morals in these communities regarding women - they must marry the first boy they have a relationship with. And then they are expected to give birth to children and take care of them at home.

The Penal Code provides for sanctions for adults who marry or cohabit with persons under the age of 16. However, the application of these sanctions is rather an exception.

Despite the positive trend, the problem of early marriages and births remains an important topic, because in this vicious circle patterns are reproduced that hinder the full development of entire generations. More on the topic:

https://www.largo-dream.com/index.php/bg/news-bg

"If you believe in yourself, you can do absolutely anything" - Fondanza, Kovachevo village

Roma in Bulgaria, however, still remain excluded from education, and part of the reasons for this are the sending of Roma children to special schools, discrimination, difficult access to education due to poverty.

Poverty and lack of education form a vicious circle. Due to limited awareness and lack of financial opportunities, Roma communities often have significantly worse health status.

Therefore, if young Roma have better access to education, they will be able to be stronger advocates for their community in the future. More on the topic:

https://www.largo-dream.com/index.php/bg/news-bg

The project "I have a dream" is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. All responsibility for the content of the document is borne by the Association Liberal alternative for Roma civil union - LARGO in partnership with KUN Center for Equality and Diversity - Norway and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European economic space and the Operator of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria. www.activecitizensfund.bg .

3,7,2023

July 8-9, 2023, Seven Seasons Hotel, Banya village, Razlog municipality

Association LARGO organizes a National meeting of representatives of Roma women's clubs under project project ACF 709 I have a dream which will take place on July 8 and 9, 2023, Saturday and Sunday, at the Seven Seasons Hotel, Banya village, Razlog municipality.

The meeting will be dedicated to the participants from the 6 clubs in the country from the cities of Dupnitsa, Rakitovo, Septemvri, Kyustendil, Radomir and Botevgrad getting to know each other, exchanging experience regarding construction and functioning, and

the implemented activity of the network of women's clubs, feedback from the completed trainings; review, analysis and discussion of the clubs' activities, their successes and difficulties.

We will discuss and plan together the next specific remaining activities of the "I have a dream" project until the end of its implementation.

Agenda

July 8, 2023, Saturday

10.00-10.30 – Arrival, registration

10.30-11.30 - Opening of the meeting.

11.30-12.00 – coffee break

12.00 -13.30 - Building a network of women's Roma clubs and trainings - feedback from the trainings; review, analysis and discussion of the implemented activities of the clubs /formation, format, club functioning, topics, members, difficulties, challenges, successes, problems/.

13.30-14.30 – Lunch break

14.30 -15.30 - What has been done so far on the project. Review, discussion, specification and planning of further specific remaining project activities until the end of its implementation. Development of the clubs after the completion of the project.

15.30 - 16.00 - coffee break

16.00 - 17.00 - Video message from the KUN Association, Norway on the topic "Visual Advocacy" - methods, approaches and experience of the partner. Discussion and brainstorming for ideas to implement in the work of the clubs. Advocacy case work.

17.00 - 19.00 – free time

19.00 - 20.30 - dinner

July 9, 2023, Sunday

Breakfast

09.30 - 11.30 – Overview, discussion, clarification and planning of advocacy campaigns. Work in small groups to discuss ideas. Advocacy Implementation Plans - Needs, Resources, Campaign for awareness. Summary and conclusion.

12.00 - catering and departure

The project "I have a dream" is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. All responsibility for the content of the document is borne by the Association Liberal alternative for Roma civil union - LARGO in partnership with KUN Center for Equality and Diversity - Norway and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European economic space and the Operator of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria. www.activecitizensfund.bg .

07 December 2022

  

In her book Freedom is a Constant Struggle the famous human rights activist and activist Angela Davis[1] analyzes Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous 1963 I Have a Dream speech. Davis insists that many people misunderstood the essend of the speech because they think King's main message is that people should not give up on their dreams and struggle to make them come true. Such an interpretation of Martin Luther King's words is foolish according to Davis[2] because everyone has dreams and wants their dreams to come true.

But the current empirical study contradicts Angela Davis's words. Not everyone has dreams. Focus groups and in-depth interviews with dozens of Roma women in Bulgaria failed to elicit even a single dream. On the contrary - research among this target group has repeatedly registered a state of general resignation to the world and fate, withdrawal from life, social apathy, nostalgia and sadness for the unfulfilled youth and childhood dreams. It is not necessary that this resignation is filled with negative emotions, is related to any depressive states, oppression or despair although there are similar cases. Many of the women in the study were generally satisfied with their lives, cherished their families, children or grandchildren and did not complain excessively about their work, payments, bills or living conditions. But they failed to formulate a dream, a goal, a vision for a better future even with repeated prompts and direct insistences from the interviewers...

Read here the full text of the report: линк на думата here към Report_survey_Dream_ENG:

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Constant-Struggle-Palestine-Foundations/dp/1608465640  [2] King's main message is not to pursue our individual dreams but our collective goals, Davis insists.

    The project "I have a dream" is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. All responsibility for the content of the document is borne by the Association Liberal alternative for Roma civil union - LARGO in partnership with KUN Center for Equality and Diversity - Norway and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European economic space and the Operator of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria www.activecitizensfund.bg .

28 November, 2022

The team of Largo Association managed to carry out six public discussions on the I Have a Dream project in Radomir, Kyustendil, Dupnitsa, Botevgrad, Rakitovo and Blagoevgrad.

More than 130 Roma women and youngsters attened in the meetings who had the opportunity to share experiences, talk about their dreams and interests, about the difficulties they face on a daily basis and seek advice and support.

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See moments from the discussions held with Roma women from all over Bulgaria...

   The project "I have a dream" is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. All responsibility for the content of the document is borne by the Association Liberal alternative for Roma civil union - LARGO in partnership with KUN Center for Equality and Diversity - Norway and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European economic space and the Operator of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria www.activecitizensfund.bg .

01 September 2022

     Largo Association translated to Bulgarian and issued two reports by KUN Center for Equality and Diversity, Norway (partner of I have a dream project) - Roma in the EU and Norway: Challenges and Best Practices for Empowerment by Helene Rød and Kiril Gurvich, Roma Women in Norway: Experiences of Antigypsyism, Gender Inequality and Empowerment and also in English Why do Dreams Migrate to South report by Venelin Stoychev (empowerment and research expert at Largo Association).

The report Why do Dreams Migrate to South? /access here – тук линк към Report survey_Dream_ENG/ is the output of organizing and conducting 24 in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions in Kyustendil, Dupnitsa, Sofia, Radomir, etc. Each of the discussions was attened by 8-12 youngsters, women and men over the age of 14. Part of the goals of the report was to make a current snapshot of the issues, dreams and hopes of Roma families, the crises of traditional communities, schools, personal and interpersonal relationships, community life in three Roma neighborhoods - in Kyustendil, Radomir and Dupnitsa as well as the dreams of personal fulfillment of young Roma. The main findings and outcomes of the report are about the lack of guaranteed access to quality health care, education, social care, security and mechanisms for vertical social mobility and the presence of blood and personal bonds that hinder development in traditional communities. In addition there is a lack of developed security and social support systems as well as the presence of educational institutions.

There is also a lack of freedom of economic activity, geographic and social mobility, access to different points of view, cultural practices and normative systems in the country. The most successful individuals of Roma community leave it while the most dependent remain - that is, there is a negative selection in the community: the most promising leave - the most vulnerable are here to stay…

Norwegian Roma are one of the smallest but also one of the least liked minority groups – they are subjected to the utmost stigmatization and discrimination in Norway. Historically Norwegian Roma have been severely discriminated by the Norwegian government and they are still discriminated by public institutions and by the society. Roma women there face gender discrimination and inequality withine Roma community describing discrimination by the state, society and other Roma; in public spaces, retail stores, education, health, housing and labor markets, public institutions and even in home.

Many Roma have lost trust in law enforcement due to bad experiences with stereotypes and false accusations and inaction in the investigation of crimes against Roma. Roma in Norway indicated international Roma networks, education, employment and knowledge of the law and employment as a potential source of empowerment. It was recommended that government officials and citizens should focus on initiatives that promote empowerment through education, employment and knowledge of law. It would be particularly useful to provide training and jobs in areas of interest to Roma women and in which they would be comfortable working.

The Norwegian partners recommendations are to improve the situation of Roma women in Norway threefold:
1/ the Norwegian government prepares a concrete and effective action plan against anti-gypsyism and descision making in cooperation with Roma community and Roma community different groups’ voices is important to be heard in this process and in particular the voices of Norwegian Roma women owing of their knowledge and experience;
2 / increasing public institutions and general public’s awareness about Roma issues for example by including more Romani history in the curriculum in primary and secondary schools;
3/ measures aimed at ensuring access to labor market for Roma women.

Read full text of the reports:

- Roma in the EU and Norway: Challenges and Best Practices for Empowerment:

     Also waiting for its premiere is Colorful Melancholia by Venelin Stoychev - a collection of personal Roma women's stories as well as the experience of Roma women in modern society with incredible stories told us by the respondents of the 6 focus groups and in-depth interviews held in the summer of 2022.

     Distribution of the reports and collection to the project's target group as well as among stakeholders and general public is forthcoming.

The main goal of I Have a Dream project is to validate, implement and disseminate new innovative methods of empowering Roma women and girls through personal skills training and direct advocacy. The tasks of the project are: a) to contribute to the construction of a favorable environment that respects the Roma woman as a person and b) to develop the resources of Roma women to assert themselves as subjects who can fight for their rights, interests and dreams. The participants will go through a series of trainings on personal skills, which they will have the opportunity to apply in practice..

   The project "I have a dream" is implemented with the financial support of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway under the Active Citizens Fund of Bulgaria within the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area. All responsibility for the content of the document is borne by the Association Liberal alternative for Roma civil union - LARGO in partnership with KUN Center for Equality and Diversity - Norway and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official opinion of the Financial Mechanism of the European economic space and the Operator of Active Citizens Fund Bulgaria www.activecitizensfund.bg .