GREAT PHOTOJOURNALISM

Great Photojournalism

Christian Als

Most of Via Barzaghi Roma camp has no sewage system and rats roam freely between the trailers and shacks.

Of the Romas in their prime working age up to 80% are unemployed. They often live in camps of old trailers and the men spend most of the day doing nothing.

Most Roma children don't start school until they're ten, by which time it's often too late. This Roma child live in trailer/shack constructions in a camp bordered by a confluence of railway tracks coming into Milan.

Roma communities all over Europe are heavily affected by difficult living conditions. Most of the homes on Via Barzaghi Roma camp are illegal, and these are the ones being destroyed by the local polizia. The destruction has become routine.

A child is jumping a fence in a Roma camp in Milan. Roma children grow up in traditional families and mostly learn by example and not by teaching. The washer in front of him is working and is connected to both water and electricity.

Historically, Roma have been a self-sufficient people who fiercely guarded their cultural norms. Today, however, most of the Roma's traditional occupations have been rendered irrelevant by the modern world. The migratory lifestyle which gypsies are famous for is no longer possible. This Romanian man is the leader of the Roma camp.

Many Roma children don't start school until they're ten, by which time it's too late. Another problem is that Roma children often drop out of school early. Sometimes it is because their parents do not have money for books and other school materials. In other cases, it is due to the tradition of getting married at age 12 or 13.

Most of Via Barzaghi Roma camp burned down in early march 2006. Fires are frequent in the camp because the Romas use open fire for cooking and heating. This woman is collecting iron and metal bits to sell for seven Euro for ten kilos, which will take her allmost a week to collect.

The Romas are marginalised in most European countries. Problems such as low formal education level, illiteracy, lack of qualification, unemployment, precarious health conditions, and poverty continue to affect most of the Roma populations.

A police man is checking the Roma's legal documents. If they can't show him the right papers they will be sent back to dire situations in Eastern Europe, where they come from. Most Romas in Via Barzarghi camp is from Romania.

Roma parents love their children just as much as any other parents, and they are adored and cherished and the whole family feels responsible to raise a child. The ways Roma children are raised might differ from that of the majority population and reflects the harsh reality in which Roma live in.

The Italian Ministry of Internal affairs, Giuliano Amato, said during a visit to a Roma settlement on 15 August 2006: %u201CThe recognition of Roma rights is a European topic which concerns everybody. Italy is one of the countries where the Roma minority is not recognised, nonetheless Italian Romas are ready to be part of the Italian society but they face too many difficulties for integrating the school system and getting a job."