Presentation by Dan Pavel Doghi, Roma Education Fund, on the occasion of the EESC conference on 'Better Roma inclusion through civil society initiatives: focus on education, employment, housing and antidiscrimination' (Brussels, 7 November 2014).

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REF’s mission is to close
the gap in educational
outcomes between Roma
and non-Roma, through
the design and
implementation of
policies and programs
that support quality
education for Roma
including the
desegregation of the
school system.
Expanding
access to
quality early
childhood
education and
care
Improving
primary
education
outcomes for
Romani
children
between ages
six and
fourteen
Expanding
access to and
ensuring
completion of
and graduation
from secondary
education
Expanding
access to,
improve
graduation
levels and
strengthen
identity of
Romani
students in
tertiary
Second-chance
programs for
adult education
and training
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2
3
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Our key priorities cover all levels of education

3. In a tightly orchestrated campaign
the support of Roma Education
Fund enabled the daily bussing of
children from 38 Romani families to
schools in downtown Tirana from
where they had been rehoused some
11 kilometers outside the city,
evicted in the summer of 2013 and
living on the streets for several
months. At the new site, they
received assistance from the city of
Tirana which provided rudimentary
public services including a
vaccination program for young
children. REF’s partners provided
hot meals and educational support
for 89 Romani children from the
youngest of age till age 15, as well
as 56 mothers who received
parenting and counseling support.
A volunteer assists a young Romani girl with her homework after school at the
House of Colors in Tirana, Albania. Photo: Elvin Shytaj

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Grants Scholarship Revolving Loans
Advocacy, Research
and Policy Dialogue
Project
Implementation
Provided to
consortium of civil
society and public
institutions
implementing
education reform
projects
Implementation of
large scale ESF,
IPA, Norway and
EEA projects
Provided to bridge
funding for efficient
implementation of
EU funds for projects
that cover all the
levels of public
education
Financial support
provided to Romani
students
Engage in issues
affecting the
education of Roma
such as the
prevalence of Roma
in special education,
segregation and
desegregation and
education financing
REF acts in close partnership with educational institutions, municipalities,
Roma NGOs, and national and international organizations/institutions

5. Croatia’s Medimurje County is the
site of an ongoing REF project to
enroll young Romani children in
preschools and subsequently
desegregate kindergartens through a
long-term intervention in early
childhood education and care and
primary school services.
Operating in four localities, in a
mixture of sites that incorporate
community centers, preschool
facilities and kindergartens, in
partnership with the local
authorities, REF adopted a different
approach at each site, whether a
community center hosting early
childhood education and care, a
standalone kindergarten with
several shifts of children a day or a
primary school Young pupils in a village kindergarten in Medjimurje County, Croatia. in a town center.
Photo: Tom Bass

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Grants & Scholarship
Scholarship
Foundations
Branches
REF Switzerland
Zug (2006)
REF Hungary
Budapest (2006)
REF Romania
Bucharest (2009)
REF Slovakia
Presov (2014)
Serbian Branch
Belgrade(2013)
Montenegro Branch
Podgorica (2013)
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Hungary
Kosovo
Macedonia
Moldova
Montenegro
Romania
Russia
Serbia
Slovakia
Turkey
Ukraine

7. Children playing at a Mothers’ Club in Ostrava, Czech Republic
Photo: Jana Baudysova
With support from REF and the financial contribution of the municipal government
of Ostrava, a systematic preschool education and early elementary school registration
project has been established in order to prevent Romani pupils from enrolling in so-called
“practical” schools that typically offer a sub-standard educational curriculum.
“Looking at the children, it is obvious that they have made great progress in the
Mothers’ Clubs, and I dare to say, that if the cooperation between the parents, NGOs
and preschools, or later schools will continue, and the project may not only disclose
new opportunities for Romani children but can also build a bridge over the persisting
barriers between the Roma and the majority,” said one preschool teacher in Ostrava-
Poruba.

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2013 in numbers
Beneficiaries
Direct
spending on
our
beneficiaries
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mmiilllliioonn EEUURR
Project
Portfolio
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University
Scholarships
 REF pursues its activities through four entities established
as legally separate foundations in Switzerland, Hungary,
Romania and Slovakia and two branch offices of REF
Hungary in Serbia and Montenegro.
 The REF entities work together to ensure an effective
delivery of the activities in a transparent and accountable
manner. Each Foundation has its separate board with
independent members for their decisions.
 The three entities are coordinated by REF’s headquarters
in Budapest, which has a multinational staff, of whom
63.15% are Roma from Bulgaria, Hungary, Macedonia,
Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. REF has country
facilitators in eight countries, who are in the majority young
Roma.

9. REF has aspired to address the near complete absence of Romani health
professionals from Romani communities by supporting scholarships for
doctors, nurses and technicians in the health sector in Romania.
Partnering together with the Media Monitoring Agency, the Sastipen
Association, Association of Resident Doctors in Romania and Open
Society Foundations – Budapest, the Roma Education Fund
implemented a European Structural Fund project to address problem.
Medical professionals supported by REF
in Romania.
The project incorporated
tertiary scholarship,
mentorship and tutorship
support, as well as
combating the stereotypes
related to the access of
Roma students to highly-qualified
professions.