Mission
BUILDING RESILIENT ROMA COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION
Our Story
Established in 2005 through a partnership between the World Bank and the Open Society Foundations, Roma Education Fund has dedicated the past two decades to empowering Roma individuals through education. With over 120 million Euros invested in diverse initiatives, REF has touched the lives of more than 100,000 Roma people of all ages across 16 countries. This impactful work is made possible by the generous support of organizations such as the Open Society Foundations, World Bank, EVZ Foundation, EEA and Norway Grants, Austrian Development Agency (ADA), Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), German Government – Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, European Union through the Human Resources Operational Programme, VELUX Foundations, and many more.
Embracing its new mission, the Foundation’s teams in four countries -Romania, Slovakia, Serbia and North Macedonia – are collaborating closely with Roma communities to achieve three key long-term strategic goals:
(1) Creating community-based complementary educational models to bolster the resilience of Roma communities;
(2) Crafting effective employment models for Roma in evolving labor markets;
(3) Elevating Roma human capital through targeted investments in education and leadership development.
Our vision is to create a supportive environment for every child, young person and parent, empowering them to develop personal resilience in rapidly changing societies.
The Roma for Europe Network, a Solid Partnership with Common Goals
REF’s mission is a collective endeavour. By joining forces with the Roma for Europe Network, REF amplifies its impact and embraces its new strategic direction. In partnership with the European Roma Institute for Arts and Culture, Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, Roma Foundation for Europe, and Roma for Democracy we are harnessing the power of networks to build a brighter, more inclusive Europe. Together, we are stronger and more capable of driving meaningful change.
