In Europe, especially in areas where large numbers of Roma communities live, the daily lives of these people are often marked by difficult conditions. Roma culture is rich but also very specific, and many members of this community face obstacles that make life difficult for them. For deaf Roma, these challenges are even greater, as they have to face not only the problems associated with their Roma origin, but also with their hearing impairment, which wider marginalises them.
Interviews with people involved in the education and integration of deaf Roma reveal different aspects of the life of this group. Stories and experiences show that this group faces not only language and cultural barriers, but also problems of identity and acceptance in wider society. Their lives are marked by a struggle for access to education, understanding and acceptance.
Experiences of experts: challenges in working with deaf Roma youth
Taissa Cruciani, a member of staff at the Antwerp School for the Deaf, talks about her experience of supporting deaf Roma children and young people. “The biggest challenge in working with this community is convincing parents that their child is not less valuable because they are deaf,” Taissa says. Parents, who often prefer cochlear implants or hearing aids to the use of sign language, struggle to accept their child’s deaf identity. This approach often leads to children not feeling part of their family or community. Another problem is that deaf Roma try to fit in with the majority society, often ignoring their deaf identity because they desire to be “normal” like others. This desire to fit in is even greater in Roma settlements, where deaf young people face considerable isolation if they choose to be part of the deaf community.
Taissa also addresses the challenges that are associated with the language barrier, where deaf Roma often do not have developed language skills and therefore need to work with their mother tongue to create a bridge between them and the majority society. This requires considerable patience and understanding on the part of the teachers and staff involved in their education and integration.
Life of Deaf Roma: Challenges and Barriers
Gyuler, a deaf Roma woman from Bulgaria, moved to Belgium eight years ago, where she gradually began to learn about her identity. “I only found out we were Roma last year,” Gyuler says. Their story shows that even today there is a lot of misunderstanding and non-acceptance of Roma identity, not only within wider society, but also within Roma communities themselves. Gyuler became part of the deaf community in Belgium and learned to use sign language, which enabled her to better communicate with others and develop their life.
Although their feels more in touch with Deaf people today, Their admits that Gyuler has never felt a strong connection to Roma identity. This aspect of the lives of Deaf Roma is specific, as many of them have to face double marginalisation – as Roma and as Deaf people. This conflict of identities is very strong, especially in communities that do not have open access to education and integration into wider society. It was only when Gyuler moved to Belgium that she began to meet other Deaf people, which helped their gain a greater understanding of what it means to be Deaf.
Integration into society: obstacles and hopes
The Roma community, especially in the settlements, faces many challenges, which are even more complicated when deaf individuals intervene in this situation. This article aims to make visible the challenges faced by deaf Roma youth and adults who are trying to find their place in two worlds – the Deaf community and the Roma settlement, where traditional values and customs are often at odds with the needs and rights of Deaf individuals.
In this thesis we will discuss different aspects of the life of deaf Roma, based on interviews with experts and members of this community themselves. We will also include several videos and interviews from Roma settlements to show the reality of their daily lives and the challenges they face.
Life in Roma settlements is another major obstacle for deaf Roma. In the settlements it is difficult for a deaf individual to find support or understanding. René Červenak, a young man from a settlement, speaks of the difficulties of communication and provocations from others. For many young deaf Roma, the path to education is fraught with obstacles, as their families have little education and often face financial problems, affecting their ability to engage their children in the school system.
Ružena Červenaková describes how difficult it was for their children to get an education in the settlement. “We wanted to enrol them in school, but the cost was too high,” she says. Their children faced bullying and teasing from other children at school, so they eventually found help at a special school for children with disabilities. Today, Ruzena is proud of their children who have come out of difficult circumstances and are attending school regularly.
Roma communities face not only cultural and linguistic integration challenges, but also serious problems related to the financing of education and parents’ lack of interest or security in their children’s education. These problems are exacerbated in the case of deaf children who need specific educational institutions and support.
Education funding and government support
One of the main problems facing the Roma community is the lack of funding for the education of children, especially children with special needs, such as the deaf. Often there are not enough funds in the settlements for families to afford to send their children to schools for the deaf. These schools are often remote and the cost of transport and school supplies can be prohibitive for families. In some cases, when children with hearing impairments are integrated into the mainstream education system, there is a lack of support in the form of sign language interpreters or specialist teachers.
Many Roma families live in poverty and do not have sufficient financial resources to provide for their children’s education, which only exacerbates their social and economic marginalisation. State programmes that focus on funding the education of deaf Roma could substantially improve their chances of a quality education. Programmes should be introduced to ensure free access to schools for the hearing impaired, including the cost of transport and school supplies, and to support families in the settlements in looking after their children’s education.
Parents disinterest and lack of information
The problem is not only the lack of access to education, but also the lack of awareness of parents, who often do not have enough information about the specific needs of their children. Some parents of deaf children do not feel competent to educate and support their children and do not know what educational opportunities exist. In some cases, parents do not respond to the need for children to be educated in schools for the hearing impaired, which can lead to children being unaware of opportunities that would enable them to develop fully and integrate into society.
In order to solve these problems, it is essential to improve education among Roma parents about the benefits of special education, to provide them with clear information about where they can get support and how they can secure a better future for their children.
The challenges and solutions
Roma communities should have access to social services and state programmes that ensure that children from socially disadvantaged families, including deaf children, have equal opportunities for education without having to worry about the financial costs. This would mean that the state should provide tuition fees, transport and other educational costs for children from settlements who wish to be educated in special schools for the hearing impaired, thereby significantly increasing their chances of a better life.
Conclusion: challenges and hopes
The lives of deaf Roma in Europe are full of challenges, including not only language and cultural barriers, but also problems of identity, access to education and social inclusion. For many deaf Roma, the process of integration into wider society is difficult but not impossible. Help and support from school settings, non-profit organisations and individuals who are sympathetic to their specific needs is crucial to their successful integration.
These stories show us that deaf Roma have enormous potential, but they need conditions that allow them to develop and actively participate in society. It is important that we as a society do not forget their needs and actively support them on their journey towards a better life.