Cooking course in Garla Mare gives poor Roma girls another outlook on life
WECF in cooperation with local NGO FVC in Garla Mare started successful cooking and hygiene course for young Roma Women, WECF field officer Anna Samwel reports
11.06.2008 |Anna Samwel
Roma children eating bread with a healthy salad spread
In cooperation with the local NGO FVC in Garla Mare, WECF, successfully introduced a cooking and hygiene course for young Roma Women. During the last few months, the women met regularly at one of their homes to cook vegetarian, healthy and cheap food, to them a whole new concept. Michaela Preda, the local medical mediator, member of the NGO FVC, and Roma herself is facilitating the course. She is a vegetarian herself and familiar with many recipes. Usually around seven girls in the age of 16 – 30 participate in the cooking course. More than 15 children are enjoying the results afterwards.
Many of the girls live in extremely poor conditions and have difficulties feeding their children. They have found themselve in a vicious circle, starting with the absence of possibilities, as they have no education and no resources. This leads to poverty, causing stress and hardship. A fatalist outlook on life and uncertainty and disbelieve in one's own capacities is often the result. A dangerous situation even more catalyzed by discrimination. All hope on improvement has vanished in the everyday struggle for feeding the family and managing the household under most difficult conditions. Women suffer most from poverty. Children get ill very frequently. The cooking course aims to provide a first step out of this vicious circle by handing out practical solutions, but maybe even more important, by bringing the girls a new outlook on life in a different environment. It also strengthens social cohesion, which is essential for any sustainable development. The FVC cooking course is the first time that an organization is organizing something from the Roma girls. They are very pleased and proud that somebody is giving some attention to them.
Besides cooking a healthy meal, the girls learn
about child care, hygiene and other health issues in an informal atmosphere,
where they feel comfortable to speak out themselves. 
WECF is also supporting a mentally ill mother and her three healthy children through Michaela Preda. Michaela tried to feed them before with what she could dispense from her own small salary. Now the children have a meal ensured at least several times a week.
