Financial Literacy Summer Camp
Tiszaroff, July 2-6, 2018
„Once I learned that there is a camp in Tiszaroff where everybody gets help in studying and other kind of supports. This camp helped a lot to me. I like this camp, because it has a good community and we can choose from a wide range of programs, like soccer, dancing, music and bouncy castle. There is also religious education as well, so anyone can get to know that God exists and I think it is a fantastic thing. Listening how Aunt Eszter read the stories of Bible and the prayers and songs, I think these all brings us closer to God and gives a tremendous help in life. This is my third year in the camp and it means a lot to me.”
Norbert Farkas, Tiszabő, July, 2018
„For me, this camp is a big surprise, because I enjoyed my time here, this was the first for me, but this was the fourth camp. I gained a lot of new experiences in learning and in my relationships. We learned something new on every day, one day it was about the faith, on the other day it was about analytics, on another day we got to know how to relate to our disabled fellows. On the end of each day I waited for the next day to go back to the Summer Camp…”
Kálmán Nagy, Tiszabő, July, 2018
The Financial Awareness Summer Camp was taken place fourth time in 2018, in Tiszaroff; this Summer Camp was free for all students and children, between 6 and 17 years old, who live in deep poverty of the Tiszaroff Microregion. According to the Roma parents and grandparents, the kids looked forward to this Summer Camp since the last Summer Camp had ended since last summer.
A total of three-hundred (300) students participated on the five days of the Summer Camp.
It is important to pay attention to the fact that five (5) students of the Transcarpathia Talent Project and one (1) teacher from Transcarpathia volunteered to join the Summer Camp’s staff. On one hand, they helped to execute the daily operative tasks, and on the other hand, they were responsible to organize various activities, like conducting various contests, playing music, dancing etc.
Moreover, fourteen volunteers from Tiszaroff also helped to organize the Summer Camp and to execute its various tasks, including logistical duties, cooking etc. So we are grateful for the contribution of Eszter Varga Takácsné, member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and also for the contribution of the members of the local Reformed Church.
The financial education was taken place in the regular pattern, in four groups, in two rooms parallel. Beyond the financial education, the Summer Camp also aimed to strengthen the students’ spirituality and personality, and to help to understand the cultural and traditional roots of the students – like in the previous years. Mornings started with worship which provided a good opportunity to forge a community: one Roma child played on guitar, one student from Transcarpathia played on accordion, other Roma students played on harmonium, so a band was formed spontaneously. The music and singing catalyzed this process, so the age and background differences between the students and volunteers disappeared quickly; one of the pikes in this process was that the students taught the Roma Anthem to the volunteers and they sang it together. We believe that getting to know the other people’s background helps to forge strong communities.
During the Summer Camp, the student can turn to Eszter Varga Takácsné, religious education teacher, in order to discuss their questions.
This year a new topic, the sensitization, was introduced in the Summer Camp. Sensitization means raising awareness to those people who live at the “margins” of society. Anikó Fekete Vargáné, member of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, who works as a social worker for 26 years, gave a speech on disability and tolerance. First, she introduced the disabled people’s situation in various eras and places, then she discussed the prejudices and empathy in our society by highlighting the value of acceptance and tolerance. The students expressed their gratitude by applause. After her speech, the students could ask their questions.
Like in previous years, the financial education was conducted by the Pénziránytű Alapítvány’s textbook and workbook, Küldetések a pénz világában.
The Pénziránytű Alapítvány provided all these materials during the Summer Camp, like in the previous years. We are incredibly grateful for the professional support!
Generally speaking, the Summer Camp kept the tradition of the previous years alive and it had a very good atmosphere within the students could relax and participate in various and useful trainings.
Tiszaroff, July, 2018