we are EVS

November 2014

Ν 2

bboorrnn

ttoo bbee

nnoommaadd

Don’t get lost!

3. Romas in GreeceIntroduction to Roma’s way of life

4‐7. Experiences on the fieldKekpa’s work supporting Roma community.

8‐9. Photo of the monthThis is Aliveri.

10‐11. The ROM‐ACT projectRoma women involved in the european project for integration.

12‐13. 101 years agoThe Chrisula’s story.

14‐17. InterviewChat with Julia and Chrysa, coordinator and psycologist of Roma

Support Center of Aliveri.

18‐9. No just workEVS life after work. Delfi trip.

20. Poem of the monthJohn Dinsky writes about time.

Something characte‐

ristic of the Roma

people is the nomad

way of life. From the

very begining, it is be‐

lieved to be around the

15th century, when the

first Roma community

started their journey

from a region between

India and Pakistan going

in a direction towards

the East, untill reaching

Europe where they built

settlements on the outs‐

kirts of the big cities.

With no state, no poli‐

ticians, no formal or‐

ganisation. Roma people

are not used to having

long term settlements,

always moving due to

their travelling ins‐

tinct and hawking. Also

the common language of

the roma, has been mo‐

dified depending on the

country where each Roma

group has been living,

but, overall, keeping

the characterictics

words, express ions and

style of living.

Despite Roma does not

have own organisation,

trough the time, they

have kept the habili‐

ties to develope their

culture. Mostly of

times, Roma culture is

the origin of the fol‐

klore of the countries

where they have been

living trough the time .

Details in the music,

in the art or in the

simple way of life of

the people who has been

taken as a part of the

own culture of the

country, like in Spain

and the famouse ‘fla‐

menco’ in Andalucía.

From the religion point

of view, Roma culture

has been charactericed

by the changeable habi‐

lity and adaptation to

the place where the

groups used to lived,

this is the reason to

seek Roma people muslim

and cristian, depending

on the country.

As a culture, Romas has

taken his own flag

which it is composed

with green and blue co‐

lurs and a red wheel in

the middle which means

de nomad aspect of this

community trough the

time.

Roma culture

KEKPA‐DIEK’s work

in Aliveri

Work

Integration

Support

School

Activities

Roma Woman

in Aliveri

WORK opportunitties. As

organisation compromi‐

sed with Roma commu‐

nity, the main KEKPAs

aim is to develop and

implement plans and

projects for Roma in‐

clusion through the

jobs opprtunitties. Be‐

sides, KEKPAs labour is

focused on the promo‐

tion of the employment

and a bundle of actions

tackling social exclu‐

sion, such as advocacy,

awareness raising cam‐

paigns, informal voca‐

tional training and

support for women.

INCLUSION of the Roma

into the social enviore‐

ment, trying to avoid

ghettos in the area and

promoting mixed activi‐

ties with locals in

Volos. In this field,

KEKPA is working very

hard in the childrens

integration in the pu‐

blic schools of Volos,

the important and ambi‐

tion challenge who will

be crucial in the future

for the success of the

project.

SUPPORT in the field. KEK‐

PAs have two officces in

the area of Aliveri

where scial workers,

teachers and roma me‐

diators are focused in

give support and help to

the Roma people. Des‐

pite employment list

and job opportunitties,

the center gives infor‐

mation about the he‐

althy system and their

advantages, advocacy,

education and legal

proccedures.

Kekpa in Aliveri

ACTIVITIES, seminars,

congress and meetings for

adult people. Nowadays,

KEKPA is working hard lo‐

oking for the best way to

develope and improve the

formal and non‐formal ac‐

cess, for educational un‐

till laboural fields.

This spot will benefit

adult people unacademic

and unemployers in order

to make the journey easy

towards the integration

in the society.

ROMA WOMAN is taking ad‐

vantage with the labour of

KEKPA in the Roma’s Ali‐

veri Community. Working

with Roma Women is focused

to overcome the triple ex‐

clusion suffered: for

being women (gender dis‐

crimination) belonging to

an ethnic minority group

(ethnic exclusion) that

have been deprived of ade‐

quate access to the educa‐

tion (academic filter).

The main goals are promo‐

ting them in the society

and keep fighting to get

political and economic op‐

portunities for the Roma

women and also Roma adult

education and Roma iden‐

tity.

SCHOOL. KEKPA understand

school and education as

the best engine to im‐

prove communities and

get succesfull results

in the minority socie‐

ties such as Roma. Ac‐

tually, the two centers

availables of the orga‐

nisation are able to

teach children from 3 un‐

till 14 years old. Rea‐

ding, writting, greek

and english languages

are the main subjects de‐

veloped by the students.

Lessons are free of

charge and also there

exist agreements between

public schools in the Mu‐

nicipality of Volos.

This is Aliveri

North West of

Volos. Crossing

Nea Ionia untill

reach the huge

Roma community

of Aliveri. A

place with more

than 1.500 inh‐

bitants, where

there is not

just a moment to

stop, where the

sun set up the

hours of the

hawkers and kids

still playing

football on the

streets.

Aυτό είναι τό Aλιβέρι

Photo by

@Fran Sánchez

Photo of the month

The ROM‐ACT

projectText from @Rom‐Act.com

Photos by @Fran Sánchez

The ROM‐ACT Project is aimed at

widening access to non‐formal

and informal learning valida‐

tion systems among Roma and Trave‐

ller women in Europe in order to

strengthen their educational, so‐

cial, and labour inclusion.

Previous research studies highlight

that the Roma and Traveller communi‐

ties have developed specific abili‐

ties and competences related to the

type of work they do, but that most

of them do not have academic quali‐

fications and formal work expe‐

rience.

The aim of ROM‐ACT consortium is to

improve the current non‐formal and

informal validation systems in Eu‐

rope, bringing them closer to the

needs of non‐academic people and di‐

sadvantaged groups such as the Roma

and Traveller communities, as well

as to improve the access to the non‐

formal and informal learning valida‐

tion systems.

assessment and recognition of skills

and social competences, regardless

of where and how they are achieved,

are especially important for those

who do not have basic qualifica‐

tions, in order to facilitate their

integration in society.

The project

will benefit

not only Roma

and Traveller

women but all

disadvantaged

groups.

Rom‐Act

Chrisoula Asimopoulou

is the eldest Roma

woman in the Aliveri

settlement of Volos. Loca‐

ted in the middle of the

picture, with strong and

long white hair, sitting

down on the bed around

three of her grandsons and

Maria, the woman who takes

care of her.

With 101 years, behind her

green eyes, hiden by the big

glasses which let her see

like a young boy and with an

amazing energy like their

grandsons are wasting pla‐

ying and running on the

streets.

Born in 1913, one century

after, Chrisoula is spen‐

ding the days lying on the

bed, refugee inside of her

shanty, with a old stove

ready for winter and col‐

dest months.

When somebody ask her

about her life, as fast as

she can, Chrisoula starts

to count with her fingers

untill eight, exactly the

number of children she

has. Although, with more

difficulties, she’s not

able to remember the num‐

ber of grandsons which ea‐

sily are more than twenty.

Chrisoula is an example of

superation. Working as

agricultor, seamstress,

making basket for the far‐

mers and, through these

time: wars, dictatures and

differents global and na‐

tional affairs which have

not been able to stop her

and, at the moment, they

won’t, because Chri‐

suola’s spirit is such

strong as the energy she

is able to give with her

natural power.

We say good bye her and

she answers giving us

plenty of good wishes.

Long life, Chrisoula.

101 years ago. . .

Text

and

Photo

by @Fran Sánchez

“The social exclusion is

more intense in the Roma

community”

Julia Triantafyllou is the social worker and

also the coordinator in the Roma Support Center

of Aliveri, located in the city of Volos and one

of the parts of KEKPA‐DIEK at the Municipality.

With Chrysa Tziafeta, they analyzed the current

situation about Roma society and issues they are

founding and working with, in order to improve

the opportunitties and promoting the integra‐

tion further than Aliveri.

Text by @Fran

Sánchez

Translated by

@Spyros Ia‐

tropoulos

Photo by

@Aitor Sáez

From the left to right: Chrysa (psycologist), Fran (interviewer & EVS) and Julia (coordinator of the Center)

Interview:

Julia and Chrysa. Workers in Aliveri’s Roma Center

How many years the

Center is giving

support to Roma and

how is the structure?

Julia: “The personnel of

the Romas Support Centre

are formed by seven emplo‐

yees, of which there are

social workers, Roma me‐

diator, psychologist, so‐

cial anthropologist,

nurse, and educators. The

Centre operates in Aliveri

for fourteen years.

Exactly, since 2000 and

nowadays, Roma people know

that whenever they need

something they will come

here, they know what the

Centre offers. Even when

someone would have an idea

and he/she wants to talk

about it”.

Did you noticed some chan‐

ges during these years?

Julia: “During all the

years that we work here,

we have seen major changes

here. Before, parents we‐

ren’t sending their chil‐

dren at school, but now,

they do to the kindergar‐

ten and primary school.

The concern of our Romas

Support Centre is to pre‐

pare, somehow, Roma chil‐

dren (4‐5 years old) in

order to acquire the same

base with the rest chil‐

dren at school. Our idea

is that within a school,

the role of teachers

should be to be aware of

the origin of the chil‐

dren, of their environ‐

ment, where they come

from. We prepare children

in order to be ready to be

included in school”.

How is the role of the

Roma women in Aliveri?

Chrysa: “Women are more

interested on the issue of

their inclusion in the la‐

bour market. Since they

are low qualified the

available working posts

are in the cleaning do‐

main, or in the private

sector in a kitchen or in

a dishpan. In the private

sector it is rather diffi‐

cult, since there is a

prejudicion against

Romas. In public sector,

on the other hand, the

only available job posi‐

tions are for five months

contracts in various

areas. However, there is

an interest during the

last years for the paid

contract works, but the

problem is that since they

are not prepared and they

are not aware of the rules

of the labour market, like

basic things we take for

granted, such as the wor‐

king hours, that if you

have to go to a work the

same hour everyday and

that you cannot be ab‐

sent...

Also, their main working

rights, such as leaves,

salaries, etc. That is why

there should be an initial

briefing of them in these

matters, a preparation for

their inclusion in the la‐

bour market, a preparation

on how they will have a

conversation with their

employers, their collea‐

gues, how they will face

possible problems, such as

exploitation by emplo‐

yers. First of all, this

preparation is essential

and afterwards their net‐

working for these particu‐

lar working posts, as we

will inform them if there

are available jobs, if

there is an available sub‐

sidised (in order to have

a motive) seminar”.

Julia: “I have to add to

Chrysa, that in fact from

the very beginning of the

Romas Support Centre ope‐

ration, the Roma woman was

one of our main targets,

since they are ones who

are in charge of raising

their chidren and they are

those most interested for

the inclusion of their

children in school. We

started with courses in

the Greek language for the

Roma women of the area.

When they saw the tangible

results on themselves, it

was more easier to act in

the same way for their

children. And after some

time, they created a space

where they meet, they play

games, they make a discus‐

sion, they drink coffee.

And within this context,

we also prepare them for

employment”.

“Inclusion in la‐

bour market for

Roma women in the

private sector it

is rather diffi‐

cult, since there

is a prejudicion

against Romas”

“Women are the most

interested for the

inclusion of their

children in school”

Is Greece a tolerant country

with minority groups?

Julia: “Difficult question.

I think Greece is intole‐

rant. All over Greece Romas

don’t constitute one and co‐

hesive community. There are

differences among them. Here

in Volos there are four Roma

communities that have some

differences between them.

But there is a common line

that connects all. But the

phenomen of social exclusion

is more intense in the Roma

community. In my opinion,

concerning what we said be‐

fore, when as a country you

have an educational system

in which you are not aware

of other civilisations, and

in which there are no diffe‐

rences at school, then you

are not tolerant against

differences. That is why as

a country this objective

should be pursued. In gene‐

ral, I have to say, that the

city of Volos is not worst than

other Greek cities. There are

cities in Greece that have

practices particular discrimi‐

natory actions against citi‐

zens. Volos is not one of such

cities”.

Chrysa: “Also, the state’s

programmes that exist in re‐

lation to inclusion are pro‐

grammes of assimilation.

That is, in order to accept

a group that is different in

terms of culture, or reli‐

gion, or whatever, they

should be like me, the dif‐

ference should disappear, it

should be absorbed, and it

should be the same as the

whole. Otherwise, we find

difficulty in dealing with

something different; we see

it as inferior, …, this is

the attitude of the average

Greek. And this can be seen

also at schools, especially

at schools that are conside‐

red to be schools of one‐ci‐

vilisation, and at educators

of an old generation who

were trained to address to

homogeneous population

groups; these find now a

difficulty since the stu‐

dents’ population are

children of immigrants, of

Romas, a very heterogene‐

ous population, and the

old‐minded teachers can‐

not adopt to the needs of

this new population, con‐

trary to new educators who

start to have some specia‐

lity in intercultural edu‐

cationand new pedagogical

methods”.

A wish for the future...

Chrysa: “Romas inclusion

based on their terms.A

Roma woman to be able to

work dressed with her par‐

ticular clothes; and also

to break somehow this

ghetto, new couples to be

able to go and live in

another area of the city,

not only Aliveri. Such

things, that most of the

time don’t depend on them‐

selves and not on us, of

course.

“When as a country you have an educational system in which

you are not aware of other civilisations, and in which there

are no differences at school, then you are not tolerant

against differences”

The Religion.

The Family.

The Heritage.

Photoinform

no just work

Delfi

Where the answers are born

In order to seek the

center of the world,

Zeus sent two eagles

flying from the eas‐

tern and western

extremities of his

Grandmother, Earth.

And the path of the

eagles crossed over

Delphi where the

omphalos was found.

Builted in the Ancient Greece periode (510 ‐ 323 B.C)

Place where Apollo slew the dragon ‘Phyton’ and the god was worship

Every four years were celebrated the Pythian Games.

The Apollo’s temple is the biggest one in the old city and where the

Oracle was located.

The archaeological complex is formed by many temples from different

cities of Greece where rich treasures were kept.

The museum is a modern building which keeps some of the treasures of

the temples and also esfiges and statues worth and necessary to see

for the well understanding of the place.

no just work

poem

of the monthby

John Dinsky

I don't believe in timeIt's just something we made

To measure and define

I don't believe in timeTomorrow is today

Yesterday is in the mind

All we have is hereNo end or beginningIn this eternal being

No start nor finish lineAncient man looked to the skySearching for answers, Like you

and IAnd He saw the sun

A logical god burning high

And I don't believe in timeIt's just something we made

To measure and define

I don't believe in timeTomorrow is today

Yesterday is in the mind

Whats the hour on a planet of a

million miles?

Beyond the milky way

Cellestial revolutions

Respect no manmade lines

And Parmenides was inspired

Einstein was a lie

In the darkness of Iceland

I see fleeting beauty In the

blinking of an eye

We're changing all the now

But when we die the atoms stay

alive

And I don't believe in time

It's just illusion

To measure and define

I don't believe in time

Tomorrow never happens

Yesterday is in the mind.