In October, Dr. Yelis Erolova presented the results of her research on separated Roma families within the project in three different scientific forums.
Between October 3 and 6, she participated in an international conference of the Gypsy Lore Society in São Paulo, Brazil with a paper entitled ‘The Impact of Migration on Quality of Life: the Case Study of Roma Families Left-behind in Northeastern Bulgaria’. She focused on the positive changes in the lifestyle of the left-behind separated Roma families in several settlements in Bulgaria due to the increased incomes of Roma emigrants.
Between 19 and 20 October Dr. Erolova attended a scientific conference scientific conference ‘East-West: Religions, Centres and Peripheries’, organized by the Institute for Historical Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Center for Religious Studies at the Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’. In her presentation, entitled ‘Religion, Mutual Aid and Donations between Roma Emigrants Abroad and the Rest of Their Relatives’, she drew attention to remittances and donations of Roma emigrants in Bulgaria that led to overcoming the ‘peripherality’ and ‘marginality’ of Roma neighborhoods.
Dr. Erolova’s next participation was in the conference ‘Readings in Memory of Prof. DSc. Tsvetana Georgieva: History and Anthropology’, organized by ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ from 26 to 28 October in Sofia. In her paper, named ‘Roma emigrants through the eyes of their relatives left-behind in Bulgaria’, she discussed the adaptation experience of Roma emigrants, the improvement of their living standards and the increase of their civic self-esteem, as well as the different forms of their charity through the stories of their relatives left-behind in Bulgaria.