Romania Project
2025
Help shine a light
and bring hope
Global Aid Network (GAiN) UK has the opportunity to send a team to Romania.
Cluj-Napoca is a city in northwestern Romania. It is the capital of the historical region Transylvania and is one of the most visited cities in Romania. Also home to a community of Roma people, living in one of the city’s rubbish dump in the outskirts of this city.
Life on a rubbish dump is the reality for many of the one million Roma children—some of the most excluded and disadvantaged people in Europe. There are six million Roma living within the EU, more than the total population of Ireland. And they are treated as second class citizens just because of their ethnicity. They experience persecution, are evicted from their homes and are treated unfairly by people in authority.
Since 2015, we have been sending teams to serve in the local Roma community on the outskirts of Cluj-Napoca. Over the years a strong partnership has been built with a local faith-based organisation working to shine a light and bring hope for the children and young people living there.
In April 2025, GAiN UK will once again be returning to Romania to help support the long term work of our partner in providing hope and education to the future generation of gypsy children living by the rubbish dump. In a very practical way we will help with the construction of facilities for the children and teens as well as running a programme of activities to bring joy and fun to their lives.
Will you join us in helping reveal hope and restore life to this community?
“If you want to do something that will really benefit the people you meet, experience another culture and see how little people actually need to be truly happy, then I’d recommend this trip to you. It’s challenging in so many ways, everyone will grow and gain something from this trip.”
What to expect
As part of this project we will have opportunities to learn more about the culture in Romania and the Roma people living as a segregated community in that country. We will share what we are learning and reflect on our experiences together. The project will include training on working cross culturally, team building, leadership and values in humanitarian work. There will also be the opportunity to consider together the impact that our own cultural values and beliefs bring to our experiences.
We are looking for people who are motivated with a heart of compassion to help those in disadvantaged communities as well as being prepared to go with an attitude to serve and learn from the people we go to help. Physical work will also be required, as we will be helping with the construction of the campground for future camps and picnics for Roma children from the slums.
Romania Project 2024
Where: Cluj-Napoca, Romania
When: 7-16 April 2025
Who: Open to anyone in the UK
Cost: £675 (approx.) plus flights. The project starts in Cluj-Napoca. Prices shown include all in-country costs, you will need to book your flights to Cluj-Napoca separately.
Application deadline: 10 February 2025
This project is organised and administrated by GAiN UK and Agapé UK.
For more info, email: projects@globalaidnetwork.org.uk
Funding your project…
A large part of this project will involve you raising the funds to cover the cost of your travel to Romania and your in-country expenses. Once you have applied and been accepted to join the project, we will send you a training pack that includes resources to help spark ideas for raising your funds. It is best to start fundraising as soon as you receive confirmation of your acceptance onto the project; this way you have plenty of time to fund-raise before the payment deadlines.
There will be deadlines for you to make staged payments which then build up to the final payment. The first payment is a non-refundable £150 deposit which is used to secure your place. This payment is due within one week of being offered a place on the project. Your local GAiN or Agapé contact will be available to help you with any queries that might arise with regards to fundraising and deadlines.
We’re excited that you are interested in joining us in supporting the Roma people in Cluj-Napoca and look forward to receiving your application and references.
How to apply
As part of the application, you will need to provide references from two people who know you well (at least one year); no relatives, could be a tutor or a youth leader. Please send them this link to the reference form and ask them to complete it as soon as possible. We won’t be able to process your application until we have received both application and one reference form.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about our project. Phone us at 0121 765 4404 or email us at projects@globalaidnetwork.org.uk
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