The coordinator of REYN Bulgaria, Trust for Social Achievement (TSA), organized a grand meeting and see through in the Fakulteta Settlement outside Sofia. Fakulteta is one of the largest Roma settlements in Europe. An estimated number between 25.000- 50.000 people live there.

Numbers are however hard to estimate due to lacking registration services. Currently, REYN Bulgaria and the Roma inhabitants are working together on several improvement programs. It was therefore an important event and test case for all REYN Advocates, who mostly work on the front line to improve policy and regulations for the benefit of Roma & Travelers.

Pre-natal Care
During the visit meetings and talks happened with Romani mothers and children, giving a persevering impression of their situations and future outlook. Trust for Social Achievement also showed one of their projects, the Nurse-Family Partnership, which brings direct support to young mothers and their children by improving pre-natal care and therewith reduce risk at child-birth. They also help by increasing the parents’ economic self-sufficiency and by assisting with the child's health and development.

Advocacy Partner Meeting
The visit to Fakulteta was part of an Advocacy meeting for REYN partners and National Networks last week in Sofia, Bulgaria. About thirty advocates from eleven countries attended the three-day advocacy training. They reviewed campaign strategies, shared lessons learned and best practices. The REYN National Networks prepared plans to support the achievement of the network's objectives at national level.

At the same time, our international partners, the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), boosted their commitment to advocate for the education and care of Romani and Traveller children at national and at international level. All united, the participants echoed REYN’s life purpose: No more lost Romani and Traveller Generations!

You can view this message and other news about REYN also on https://www.reyn.eu/news_posts/reyn-in-bulgaria/