The project is being implemented thanks to a grant awarded by Voice of Romni with financial support from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP).

What makes learning engaging for children? A friendly team, an educational component — and a touch of fun and adventure. These are the elements brought together by the Roma youth organization LULUDI and the NGO Carpathian Agency for Human Rights VESTED in their joint project for Roma children and their families.


We selected their project from among many others because it precisely addresses the needs of our community: it helps Roma children believe in themselves, enjoy learning, and dream of a better future. As Camila Chovka, head of the Roma youth organization LULUDI, explains:

“It is very important that children attend school, go to kindergarten, and participate in various activities. And this project is truly making the first steps. It’s crucial to provide that initial support — to give children a push and the understanding that when you start school, you discover so many new things, make friends, and see that a bright future is waiting for you.”

One of the recent activities organized for Roma children and youth was an excursion to Uzhhorod Castle and an educational quest at the Transcarpathian Museum of Folk Architecture and Rural Life. It wasn’t just entertainment — the children learned about history, practiced finding answers, and developed teamwork skills.

The excursion to the castle turned into an exciting journey for the children. They also came to an important realization: even without leaving their own city, there’s so much to discover. Some of them had already explored the castle’s ancient walls and halls before, while for others, it was their very first visit to such a museum — and their first time taking part in a quest. But for everyone, it was an experience that will stay with them for a long time.

The children also took part in an educational quest at the open-air museum — the skansen. There, they solved challenges and searched for clues, learning to communicate, make decisions together, and truly listen to one another. Activities like these are a form of learning through emotion, curiosity, and interaction. This is how children come to see that education can be exciting and engaging.

Yuliia Khatsanovska, a member of the Carpathian Agency for Human Rights VESTED, spoke about the main goal of this activity as part of the broader project:

“The key message is that if you study, if you truly commit to learning, if you work on improving yourself — it doesn’t matter where you were born: in a settlement, in the east, the west, or even abroad — you can succeed. You can grow to love this journey, be inspired by it, and pass that inspiration on to others.”

The project will run until the end of July, with many important activities still ahead: training sessions for parents on how to better understand their children, interactive workshops on self-esteem and leadership, and a group visit to the cinema. All of these initiatives aim to help children better adapt to life, broaden their worldview, and boost their confidence in themselves.

What’s equally important is that this project also serves a strategic purpose. Representatives of both organizations, together with Voice of Romni, are working on developing proposals for the Action Plan to implement the Roma Strategy for 2026–2027. These proposals are expected to be presented to the Zakarpattia Regional Military Administration later this summer.

At Voice of Romni, we are truly glad to see that the grants provided by our organization with the support of our partners make it possible to implement multi-component projects. These are initiatives that combine what matters to every child — learning, exploration, teamwork — with what is essential for the entire community: systemic change grounded in real, lived experience.