Why Get Involved?

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"Education defeats poverty." It is more than a motto for us - it is the deep conviction that motivates all the work we do at Centrul Ziurel and in the community. We believe that helping to give children the tools to succeed in school, and helping to give families and communities the tools they need to improve their own lives, is not simply the best way for these communities to lift themselves out of poverty - it is the only way. Our work makes a dramatic impact on the lives of hundreds of children and their families each year, and it is only possible with your help and support.

We work with families in local Rroma communities that have been excluded from Romanian society for centuries. Prejudice, discrimination, and segregation have led to a society in which Rroma live as second-class citizens, lacking access to quality education, healthcare, and job opportunities. Two thirds of Rroma in Romania live on 3 euro per day or less. Less than 20% of Rroma children make it to secondary school, and approximately one quarter of adults are illiterate. Many lack access to even basic utilities such as clean water or sanitation. FAST is in a unique position to bring local and foreign aid to four of these impoverished communities, and to make a real difference in the lives of those who are otherwise largely forgotten.

This difference is made possible by the work and support of our friends around the world. We are extremely grateful for the generosity shown by those local and foreign donors and volunteers who fund our programs and work side by side with poor children and families. 96% of our funding goes straight into our projects, so donors know that their contribution is making a tangible impact on lives, and volunteers who visit FAST work directly with children at our Centrul Ziurel or directly on our building projects in local communities. Our programs allow those we help to develop long-term, practical skills and ideas of self-empowerment, and allow visitors to develop a real understanding of the issues faced in our communities.

Even small amounts make large impacts when working with the impoverished. 3 EUR provides a nutritious lunch for four local children in our Education Programme - perhaps their only balanced meal of the day. 25 EUR allows for seven children to develop pride in their cultural heritage by enrolling in our Music Programme. 150 EUR can connect a local family to running water for the first time through our Better Homes Project.

So, whether you live in Sacele or in Scotland, you can make a difference by donating or signing up to volunteer. As the saying goes, give a man a fish, and he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, and he eats for life. You can help us educate those society has left behind. Support FAST today.

Seeking Volunteers Written by Liz Greenhalgh and Daniel Hristea Here at FAST, we rely on the valuable support of our volunteers from abroad to help keep our projects moving forward and we are happy to see how...  (more)