romania

In 2012 I traveled to Romania to research a film project and take photos of the people i met. I visited a small Roma Gypsy village and the local non-government ran school at the heart of it. The head master, a professor of psychology with Roma heritage, secured backing from private investors and re-appropriated a communist ex-government building to be a middle school. He then developed his own curriculum that completely transformed the community over the 15 years it had been open by involving all members of the students families in teaching and upkeep and focusing on more creative and practical subjects.

I can remember vividly the sound of classical music drifting through the snow covered streets in the small village. An air of calm emanating from speakers on the school porch to tell the local children that it is the start of their school day.

He's a special man indeed.