Changemaker: Rareș Bălașa - ROB's stories

Project Title: ROB's stories

Changemaker:  Rareș Bălașa

Message for the world: NO for discrimination, NO for suffering.

1. Previous experience:

No,  I don't have previous experience. 

2. The Problem:

I recently watched the movie "Clouds" which is about a child with terminal cancer, who could not play because of his medical issues. I realized that even there are many children with disabilities or medical problems, I never met one. In my school, there are no children with special needs and one of the reason is that they will be bullied or they will need more support from all of us. Unfortunately, I believe we are not prepared to include children with special needs in our social groups because we are not informed and educated to do so. That's why is very hard for them to make friends. With my project, I want to increase the awareness of children in my town that we are equal no matter what problems we suffer from. I would like to be easy for all the children with disabilities, to make friends.

3. The Solution: 

I want to create a website to use it as a channel to spread the message of kindness and tolerance towards children with disabilities. I will publish written information about children with disabilities, pictures, as well as various activities through which children can experience tolerance.  As I am passionate about technology, I will create the story of a robot named Rob, that knows how to act with vulnerable children. Rob will help me to motivate children to listen and learn non-discrimination. I will use a real robot, from VECTOR brand, to create a practical way to share the anti-discrimination messages among the children. To promote the website, I will organize a workshop for 10 children, where together with Rob, we will do non-formal activities to encourage children to be open to accept friends with vulnerabilities. In online, I estimate that more than 100 children will see the content I created.

4. Beneficiaries:

10 children from Târgu Frumos and surroundings villages.

5. Team:  

I will do the project by myself.

6. Objective:

My project aims to promote diversity among 110 children, by creating a website and by organizing a workshop to inspire children to accept and include vulnerable friends.

7. Project duration:  

2 month (March - April 2021)