Concept Statement

Global Grant # 2577721

A partnership between the Rotary Clubs of Bucharest (Romania) 
and Los Olivos (California).

Summary

This Global Grant initiative aligns with two key Areas of Focus: Community and Economic Development and Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention (by integrating vulnerable youth into society through skill-building and economic opportunities).

The project aims to establish a digital design training program for the orphaned and abandoned children at Mia’s Children, equipping them with professional skills that can generate income for both them and the center.

Brief Description

Mia’s Children provides a safe haven for some of Romania’s most vulnerable youth—orphans, abandoned children from the Roma community, and former "tunnel people" who once lived in underground spaces beneath Bucharest. Many of these children have faced extreme hardship, exclusion, and homelessness.

Despite their difficult pasts, these young people possess raw artistic talent that Mia’s Children has long nurtured through painting, pottery, and handicrafts. This project will expand their creative potential into the digital space, equipping them with high-level skills in web design, social media content creation, and digital art.

The first phase will focus on teenagers aged 18 and older, ensuring they develop competitive skills for the workforce. They will also receive financial management training, empowering them to translate their creativity into sustainable income. The second phase will provide younger children with early exposure to digital design, fostering their creative and technical growth.

Key Project Components

This project will include the following major activities:

• Computers and robust Ethernet connection to support training and project work
• Instruction in digital design to provide hands-on training
• Instruction in financial management and accounting to teach economic self-sufficiency
• Design software and digital tools to develop 
  industry-relevant skills

Project Duration

2-year program with structured learning, mentorship, and project-based training.

Budget

$194,308 

Impact

By empowering these marginalized youth with digital skills, this initiative will offer them a pathway to financial independence, breaking the cycle of poverty and exclusion. The project will not 
only transform individual lives but also contribute to economic development and social integration by helping these young designers enter the digital workforce with confidence.
 

For More Information or Club Engagement

If your club is interested in a presentation or a Zoom discussion about this initiative, please contact:

Gerard (Jerry) Munson ISC Chair Rotary Club of Tehachapi 
Email: gfmunson@aol.com
Cell#: 661 645 3048