Window of Hope

I was moved this morning when I saw the BBC pictures of a Roma camp being dismantled by the police and the all-too-familiar story of the Roma being evicted onto the street: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25419422 . I have been working among Roma people for three years in Bitola and have been able to observe these people and draw my own conclusion about their plight.

A top official of the Macedonian government once made a remark to me about the Roma which stuck in my mind: they have the same opportunity to be educated as any Macedonian. This is entirely true and the government has made an effort to ensure Roma children are enrolled in school and attend regularly by imposing fines if this is not the case. However, going to school is a costly business. I am close to a Roma family with four children, and the cost of providing these children with all they need for school (rucksacks, materials, clothes, shoes/boots) is phenomenal bearing in mind that this family's income is 45€ a month social benefit. While some families receive child benefit, this family does not as the children were not born when the child benefit scheme was in force. Many other families are in the same situation. Unemployment is high in Bitola and with lack of education and skills, many of the Roma cannot find work.

I know a young Roma man who is studying law at university. The town council gave financial help in this case, although not enough to cover a whole year's expenses. Another young man who is half-Roma with unemployed parents was refused financial help but yet had a strong will to study. We were able to help in this case because I believe strongly in education even though unemployment is still high in Macedonia. Perhaps it is a struggle for most people to study in Macedonia, but I have observed that potential Roma students do not enter higher education partly due to a lack of financial means. Another reason they do not aspire to be educated at this level is due to absence of expectation from their parents and society.

The picture above is what I call a window of hope. The only hope for the Roma is to change their perspective and help themselves rather than employ a victim mentality. However, a significant number of them are drowning in the poverty cycle throughout different Balkan countries and here is where governments need to step in with much needed help. If these people can be given a step up, then they can turn their lives around. Hope for the Roma lies within the young generation and a change in their outlook, which can only be achieved through education.

These are only a few observations from my short experience with the Roma community in Bitola. Perhaps conditions are different in other areas of Europe. There is no easy solution, but the pressing plight needs to be addressed. In the meantime, there is plenty of scope for help on a personal level.  Maybe investing in the education of one young Roma person could revolutionize the future of their community. I live in hope.