Children like Marta living in poverty, desperately need educational support if they are to overcome generational poverty.

Inside the grey block of flats where Marta lives with her family, you would think you had travelled back in time to the days of communism.

The hallway leading to Marta’s home is dark and musky. She shares a tiny bedroom with her four brothers and sisters, with the old gas stove in the corner with pots caked in days-old food.

Many people in the city of Victoria, Romania, have poor living conditions. Forced industrialization during the communist era meant that blocks of flats were built in Romanian cities in large numbers but often not to quality standards. When the flats were later privatized after communism, any renovations would have to be agreed by hundreds of households, an almost impossible task. 

Insulation and other important maintenance works frequently did not take place and many blocks have fallen into serious disrepair.

Marta’s parents have left their poorly paid jobs at the factory to work in Germany over the summer. This is common in Victoria, where the only jobs available are low paid or temporary, with no job security. Many people commute for miles to work – or seek better opportunities in other cities or abroad. Vulnerable children are frequently left behind in the care of elderly grandparents or left with little supervision.