Summer Camp for Roma Girls “Good Woman”

How to be a good wife, mother and a woman in the society – this was the topic of our camp for Roma girls from 4-th to 8-th of August near mount “Buzludzha”, central Bulgaria. The 10 Roma girls are among the coming to our study-room and workshops in the Roma quarter of the city. Through the Biblical story in the Book of Ruth, the girls were taught many values that are important for women.

Just like our previous camps, there was a step game throughout the camp. The girls were separated to three teams. In the story of Ruth, there is a moment when Ruth is forced to gather ears of corn after the harvesters. Therefore, all of the girls had go earn grains from the games, which they sold. With the earned money, they could buy different things. For example – breads for making jewelries – bracelets, necklaces and earrings. During other day, they had to find a job, going to interviews for positions of waitress, secretary and nurse. For every of the positions, they had to show different kind of skills and received different salaries. With the earned money, the teams could buy products, needed for making bread, fruit salad, tea and other things that they had to make by their own hands. These were in fact gifts for Boaz – the Ruth’s beloved, who gave them a map with treasury at the last day.

Every of the teams had duties every day in things like serving, cleaning the dining hall, washing the dishes, helping in cooking etc. No girl could do something other before finishing her duty.

There were also topics for discussion, connected with the story of Ruth – fidelity, profession and calling, marriage and relationships between boys and girls. We also taught them how to deal with their budget and how to work in a team.