In 2005, FARA opened its first centre to care for the children nobody wants to help. The centre is based at a school in the village of Abore in Northern Romania where a large community of Roma families are living in appalling conditions.

After a meeting with the families, their priorities were for their children to be educated and have enough food to eat. FARA has now converted rooms at the local school to provide a warm, dry area where daily up to 30 children are able to do their homework and have a meal. FARA also provides clothing and advises on healthcare.

Many families in the local community are living in extreme poverty with no electricity or heating in cold damp houses are on the verge of collapse with little protection from the severe winter weather. At a later stage, FARA hopes to secure partnership funding to re house some of the most marginalized members of the community.

This is FARA’s first social integration programme working with some of the poorest families in rural areas to enable them to educate their children thus breaking the cycle of poverty.