THE WILD Poppies programme welcomed 100 children from the largest Roma settlement in Slovakia, Jarovnice, to its first spring workshop on April 29.
The children took part in “Divé Maky - šanca pre rómske talenty z celého Slovenska” (Wild Poppies – the Chance for Roma Talent from All Slovakia) and for four days they had the opportunity to receive training within six different workshops – on dance, art, singing, sports, drama, and music.
The project’s coordinator, Barbora Kohútiková, said that together with the Jarovnice youths, 29 other talented children from across Slovakia participated in the spring workshop. The children were coached by famous singer and choirmaster Ida Kelarová, dancer Ladislav Cmorej, artist Gabriela Binderová, musician and composer Lukáš Goroľ, actor Ferko Balog, puppet-acting student Naďa Uherová, as well as by other professional artists and teachers. “The goal is to give the children of Jarovnice a chance to see what opportunities they can have within the pilot project and how they can develop their talents,” she explained.
The PRO DONUM civic association chose – after talent contests in November 2009 – 100 children from Jarovnice. In addition to the artistic workshops and sports activities, these children are provided tutors who mentor them and help them to fulfil their project and school duties, supported by a grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, as well as from Slovakia’s state budget.
For more information, see www.divemaky.sk.
