Romania. November 2015. In a room lit by a late autumn sun, 15 families, 3 teachers and 1 adolescent have a meeting. Together, they share their hopes and build a vision of a school in which every person matters.

A school that will offer kids joy, respect and inspiration. A space that would allow teachers to cultivate their creativity, to learn and to bring their contribution in creating positive learning experiences for children, in partnership with parents.

Even though we knew opening a school would be a difficult process, we were sure we could rely on the energy and dedication of each one of us, in order to change, together, what we found unsatisfying and unfulfilling. Fortunately the diversity of our experiences, that we brought together as a group, was very helpful. Our knowledge in non-formal education, entrepreneurship and non-profit was mixed with our experiences in the legal sector, medical sector and project-management. The values that united us all from the beginning, in shaping this vision, are based on the principles of having a compassionate, respectful dialogue  with children and our desire to offer them an experience-rich environment for learning. Furthermore, our open and constant communication with representatives of innovative schools from Europe (Holland, Sweden, Spain, Denmark and England) gave us confidence that our dream can become a reality. 

So we took matters in our hands. We met weekly, searched for the information, the resources and the support we needed, we put it all on paper and, step by step, we realized how strong we can truly be when we’re working towards building a better future for children.  

Our effort was rewarded, and Babel School opened its doors in September 2016. Babel Primary School started then with 2 classes (a total of 19 children) and a team of 15 employees and volunteers.

In years to come, our objective is to document an educational model that can serve other schools, from Timisoara or other cities where there is a desire for change from parents and the local community. We believe that through an alternative grassroot approach, like this one, a true bottom-up change can happen in the educational system of Romania.