KaskoSan Ltd., a Roma charitable company supporting Roma in the North of England for six years has launched the trailer of its first broadcast quality short film in the U.K. that introduces the audience to the harsh reality of Eastern European Roma families in Bradford in the COVID-19 pandemic.

With coronavirus, Roma Gypsy families in the U.K. face food shortages, unemployment, no access to benefits and families are split. Juice Vamosi from KaskoSan Charitable Company and Matthew Langley, headteacher at Bowling Park Primary School reveal burning issues and show us how they give hope to Roma families in Bradford, Yorkshire.

The aspire Bradford residents in these hard times, the Roma charity is planning to roll out further viral videos soon. The first trailer is promoting a short film with the title ‘COVID-19 Street Schooling’, an in-house professional production. The film making crew with extensive experience in the film and TV production industry strictly followed the BBC COVID-safe guidelines for film and TV production as well as the COVID-19 restrictions in place.

KaskoSan has been supporting Bowling Park Primary School since 2019 with increasing the educational attainment of Roma children in order to improve their chances in life. However “the pandemic can cut this plan across”, says Juice Vamosi, founder of KaskoSan Roma Charitable Company.

The biggest issue Roma residents face is the lack of connectivity and the lack of basic ICT skills. Roma families don’t have a regular income and paying the rent, utilities and buying food will have a priority over broadband subscription. However, without a secure Internet connection in place, Roma children will not be able to access their home learning packs, parents have no ways to check emails in relation to their council tax bills, universal credit queries or from school.

When schools are closed, KaskoSan has been giving support to Roma households via WhatsApp, Messenger and over the phone. however the most vulnerable will receive face to face support by KaskoSan workers and volunteers from the steps of their front door.

KaskoSan is wishing to aspire the local community with its viral videos. In the first one filmed during week 7 in the first lockdown, Roma children from Bowling Park Primary School enjoy drafting lyrics and practicing rapping to keep their spirits high during the pandemic. Once there is a possibility, children will record their second hip hop song in a professional studio. The first rap lyrics composed by the students about nativity had an enormous success at school a year ago.

With the £10.000 donation by the Coronavirus Community Support Fund distributed by The National Lottery and the government and the £5.000 donation by the Race Equality Network KaskoSan has provided individual support to more than 100 Roma families on- and offline to improve their well-being and their chances of surviving the pandemic. Bowling Park Primary School in the BD5 postcode area is providing the space for the face to face support with Roma residents.

COVID-19 Street Schooling is the first short online film produced by KaskoSan since the kickoff of the global Roma social network 11 years ago. The first set of viral videos produced by KaskoSan in 2009 built a deep relationship with Roma families globally.  We were the first Roma social networking platform available in seven languages including Romani Gypsy and we were also the first to showcase Romani Gypsy culture in Eastern Europe.