Working with the Roma gypsy community in Romania

Roma is a term for various groups who have migrated across Europe for centuries and are now the biggest ethnic minority in the European Union, most of them from countries like Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. There are an estimated 10 million across Europe and one in five lives in Romania.

Since their arrival in Europe from India some 700 years ago, they have been politically, socially, culturally and economically marginalised by the dominant population, who have consistently shown negative social attitudes towards them. The vast majority live on the margins of society in abject poverty, which makes them easy targets in troubled times. Since the enlargement of the EU many more have moved legally to the UK to find work, equal opportunities and a good education for their children and to escape racism and discrimination. (Source: Equality UK)

SIFH+ had seen a lot of negative journalism and stereotyping towards these communities. Their stories are always written by someone outside the community (and usually a white man). SIFH+ wanted to create a project where those in this community were given the tools and platform to represent themselves how they want to be seen.