Roma Project: Maps, Pictures & Sources

I spent five weeks reporting from the Roma communities in Hungary, on a Pulitzer Traveling Grant. In the days and weeks ahead, I’ll be posting several articles and anecdotes both here and on my Medium page. But in the meantime, here are some quick slide shows from just two of the settlements I visited.  And if you scroll all the way down, a list of places to find additional information.

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Nyiregyhaza: 

Gusev, the larger of two Roma settlements in the city of Nyiregyhaza, was a 19th century military barracks. Today it is home to roughly 1500 Roma, many of whom live without indoor plumbing.

The playground in Gusev consists of a lone see-saw and a swing-less swing set. When I visited, a local reporter explained that officials had installed more equipment, including swings, and opened the playground to much pomp and media attention. Only to later remove the equipment, after the press dispersed.

A newly erected playground about 15 minutes outside of Gusev. Residents of the settlement suspect that E..U. funds meant to help with Roma integration are being diverted to non-Roma neighborhoods.

A warning to residents: the settlement is overrun with Rats.

The elementary school in Gusev, run by the Greek Catholic Church, has been found guilty of racial segregation. Late last year, a judge ordered the school to stop accepting new students.

The main street in Gusev is wide and paved, but most of the side streets are cracked and crumbling.

A row house in Gusev.

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Bag:

The Roma settlement of Bag is just 30 miles north of Budapest, but its residents live with what looks like deep rural poverty: no indoor plumbing, no reliable electricity, no reliable heat. Here, families have used cheap wires to “steal” electricity from the nearby village’s main supply, a gamble because to get caught is to face steep fines and potentially jail time.

“I have ten children and I think 25 grandchildren. Five of them live with me. Taking care of them is an all-day job. I am extremely afraid of weekends because the kids are here all day.”

“It takes a very long time to wash and dry clothes for five children, in the winter, with no heat or electricity. But spring and fall are not as bad with sunlight.”

Romaversitas, a non-profit focused on helping settlement children make it to and through college, has taken on a side project in Bag: cheap, efficient solar panels that provide households with enough electricity to light up a room. One of many challenges Roma students face is not having enough light to read and study by in the evenings. Families are often forced to choose between candles and food.

“Hello my name is Patrick!” When they told him I spoke only english, this delightful little boy grabbed his brother’s school book and promptly gave me a Hungarian lesson. Later he told me: “I dreamt I climbed that tree and I had a scarf, and someone tried pulling me down, but I flew away!”

Helping the folks from Romaversitas install their first solar panel. If all goes to plan, no more pirating electricity, and Patrick will have enough light to study by.

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If you want to know more….

Intergovernmental & Non-governmental:

UNDP: United Nations Development Program

World Bank: has several programs in progress throughout Eastern Europe, geared towards facilitating Roma inclusion and bolstering equality for Roma.

The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC): an international public interest law organisation working to combat anti-Romani racism and human rights abuse of Roma through strategic litigation, research and policy development, advocacy and human rights education.

The Open Society Foundation: provides grants, fellowships, and training to stimulate Roma community participation and active citizenship, empower Roma women and youth, and combat anti-Roma discrimination.The Chance for Children Foundation

Romaversitas: focused on helping Roma students make it to and through university.

Roma Education Fund: focused on grassroots programs that help Roma communities close the educational gaps that result from discrimination and segregation.

Chance for Children Foundation: focused on desegregating Hungarian school system through strategic litigation.

Academic:

Emile Bruneau, who I wrote about for the New York Times Magazine, is studying the neurological underpinnings of racial prejudice, and is working towards developing intervention programs to help mitigate anti-Roma bias in the school systems.

Anna Kende, a social psychologist at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, studies the larger forces that contribute to discrimination against Roma.

Magda Matache, is a political scientist and professor at Harvard School of Public Health, studying Roma rights and early childhood development.

Journalism:

PBS on Miskolc

Documentary on school segregation

Documentary on Roma hate crime

Al Jazera on Hungary

The Guardian on Roma throughout Europe