Romania

Romania is a semi-presidential republic situated in east-central Europe. It has a population of over 21 million inhabitants and a surface area of 238,391km². The official language is Romanian and the capital city is Bucharest.

Inter Campus has been active in the Ramnicu Valcea, and Tulcea areas of Romania since 2000, alongside the Inima Pentru Inima Foundation (IPI). In 2008, the project was expanded to operate in Slatina together with the Comunità Nuova Onlus Association and in 2012 activity also began in Bucharest in collaboration with the Parada Foundation. The project works with 380 street children, orphans, abandoned children and children at risk of abandonment, providing sporting and educational support in order to promote their psychological recovery and social inclusion through the game of football.

In 2000, when the collaboration with the IPI began, 200 footballs and jerseys were given to 100 orphans. It was these usually marginalised children who were chosen to give the additional Inter jerseys and footballs to a further 100 children in the local community – their future team-mates. This instantly gained the orphans recognition from the local children.

From then on, they trained together. At the beginning, the difficulties were clearly visible. The orphan children, who had grown up in complete isolation, were initially unable to coordinate themselves and use the space around them. These differences, however, have diminished over time and it is now difficult to tell them apart from the other kids, apart from a few scars and their shaven heads. A total of 4 instructors and 240 children now participate in the project.

In 2008, the Inter Campus in Slatina was opened alongside Comunità Nuova and Pirelli Tyres Romania. Since then, Comunità Nuova has offered social programmes to the city’s inhabitants. The objective here is also to promote social integration and the project currently encompasses three instructors and 100 children from various social backgrounds. These include children taken in by the social services, Roma children (the Roma community is extremely marginalised in Romania) and children from the local community.

In 2012, the Inter Campus Romania family grew further with the inclusion of 40 street children in Bucharest. This was made possible thanks to the involvement of the Parada Foundation. Together, we use football to strive for social inclusion, increased school attendance and broader access to healthcare.