Edoovillage #1048 - Romania, Baia Commune: Fundatia FARA - Media Center for Disadvantaged Children

The Media Center project aims to improve the learning experience of 25 primary school children, help them develop new skills and perspectives by using the Internet and Communication Technology (ICT). As a long-term goal, this support will provide the means to help them escape the poverty trap.This will be a pilot project implemented in a school in Baia Village, Suceava, Romania. Baia Village is located in a region with very high levels of poverty, unemployment, and low levels of formal education. The beneficiaries of this project are at high risk of school dropout due to the fact that they come from disadvantaged families who lack the economic resources to keep them in the educational system.

Research shows that ICT has the potential of enhancing learning and knowledge attainment if coupled with traditional ways of teaching1. Following this line of thought, we assume that access to better quality education will contribute to a decrease in the school dropout rate. The use of technological innovation during the IT sessions will enable these children to visualise and gain a deeper understanding of the curricula. These in turn will increase their interest in schooling and will positively affect their class attendance. Better informed individuals are able to make better life choices while also bringing positive contributions to the community where they live in. Therefore, improving the quality of the education will not only benefit the children, but also the situation of their family and entire community.

Besides helping children attain computer competencies and enhance education across curriculum, this project will promote cross-cultural learning, enable children gain practical skills (cooking, arts and crafts, etc.) and facilitate communication with the migrant parents. On the long-term, this project seeks to decrease the level of unemployment, develop technological awareness across society and contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The proposed project will be implemented by FARA Foundation. It has an extensive experience in conducting projects aiming to improve the socio-economic condition and the welfare of vulnerable and neglected children and young people.

This will be a pilot project that FARA Foundation in collaboration with Labdoo aims to scale up to three other schools in the region, given positive outcomes. Moreover, this project will generate significant learnings that can serve as groundwork for similar initiatives.