Romania: Learning to appreciate one another

On a neglected bit of land at the side of the school, two lines of youngsters aged 5 to 12 face one another. On the left, five or six kids hold hands to form a chain. On the right, lots of little mice dash around and try to escape the opposing bird of prey: excitement, shouts, panic. Some captured mice go to enlarge the group making the chain for the next round. The mice stay within the two sides of the long ‘bird’ that stretches and splits, the kids breaking the chain formed by their hands. “The hawk has lost”, calls Joseph Aguettant, Terre des hommes delegate in Romania, “but we saw how solidarity is a good tactic in a collective game.”

Roma, boys and girls from different ethnic groups and from all walks of life mix and laugh together in these games and sports activities on the morning of July 4, near the school of Sadova in the south of Romania. They laugh and chat, gaining confidence in themselves and in the group, cooperating by mutual appreciation. With a child-size puppet, Mirela animates and amuses the young participants, letting them touch it and express themselves by gesture or voice. Each one in turn, according to his or her imagination and own emotions.

Terre des hommes ambassador for child rights and a host on RTS, Jean-Marc Richard takes part in the activities that take place during the school holidays. “This is a way to bring the Roma children out of their exclusion, to give them a place in school and in the community. Games, sport and swopping ideas give everyone a chance. I really believe in it. But there is a lot still to do to change the thinking of both sides.”