Română 
During July 19 – August 13, ”Alaturi de Voi” Romania Foundation organized four summer day camps for the children from Miroslava, Cornesti, Horlesti and Uricani. For four weeks, children had the chance to make use of their summer holidays through educational activities, funny games, and creative exercises.
The activities were carried out under the project “Investing in Inclusive Education”, which aims to help pupils to improve their educational performance and also get better acquainted with themselves through activities for personal development.
The camps were also very successful thanks to the support and collaboration with the associated schools:” Colonel Constantin Langa” Secondary school from Miroslava,” Dimitrie Anghel” Secondary school from Cornesti, the Secondary school from Horlesti and the Educational unit from Uricani, making their space available for the activities carried out. Teachers have been actively involved, showing once again how important and special is the connection between them and the pupils.
The summer camp #GOSUMMER was an opportunity to meet and spend free time, but also to involve children and young people in activities aimed at both learning something new and helping them get to know each other better.
Creative workshops, personal development workshops, leisure activities, all were received with enthusiasm and interest by children, eager for fun and new experiences. Learning combined well with play, and good mood, laughter and squeaks of joy were present from children to adults!
“Not everywhere you see so many happy people together.”
After being forced to stay away from friends and colleagues for a long time, due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the joy of reunion was flatling! Even older children and former students expressed their desire to participate in activities, and the joy of all being together could not be overshadowed even by the rainy weather outside of some days.
In Horlesti, the sports hall of the secondary school proved to be too small for the 140 children eager for having fun! Both the children from the community and the children from C.S.S Bogdana joined their forces to turn the camp #GOSUMMER into the most beautiful adventure! “Not everywhere you see so many happy people together”, told us, smiling, one of the volunteers.
For many vulnerable children and young people, any opportunity to socialize is an exit from the problems and concerns they face every day. This year, for some of them, GOSUMMER was the only alternative to enjoy the holiday atmosphere! “They were waiting for us at the school gate every morning, eager to start a new day of fun. They hugged us closely, as if they wanted us to stay there forever,” A.D. confessed excited to us, after her first experience of volunteering. “I felt like in a real family. I was glad because I had the opportunity to work with children and I managed to transmit beautiful things to them. The children from the community are happy for sure that we have spent a small part of the summer holidays together, and that matters the most.”
The project “Investing in Inclusive Education!” is implemented by ”Alaturi de Voi” Romania Foundation, in partnership with Star of Hope Romania Foundation, Romanian Literacy Association and GAL Stejarii Argintii Association, under the call “Inclusive Education for children and young people at risk”, under the Program ”Local development, reducing poverty and increasing the inclusion of Roma”, project financed by EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021 and managed by The Romanian Fund for Social Development – FRDS. The project is being implemented between 30.10.2020-29.10.2022, in 4 communities in the North-East region: Miroslava, Cornesti and Horlesti from Iasi County and Botosani municipality.
