Within Roma communities, it is common for children to drop out of school at the age of 13 to get married. But this is not the case for the children of the first Roma Robotics team of the “Lighthouse of the World”, who managed to travel to the USA, finish school and change their lives forever. The “Lighthouse of the World” is a protection center for Roma minors founded in 2004 by Father Athinagoras in Dendropotamos, Thessaloniki. Dendropotamos is a poor and degraded area, a so-called ghetto, and its schools report high rates of dropouts. Father Athinagoras managed with perseverance and determination to achieve the impossible: bring the children of the community closer to education. In 2013, robotics was introduced at the “Lighthouse of the World” as a pioneering educational tool. By participating in the robotics workshops, the children learned to collaborate, communicate, play and dream of a world beyond Dendropotamos. They managed to overcome a series of obstacles and fulfil an elusive dream: travel to St. Louis, USA, to participate at the First Lego League (World Robotics Championship). The film follows the children for 7 years, from 2014 to 2021, recording their life trajectories along with their participation in the robotics workshop. We watch them transform from shy children into charismatic young people, who with optimism and hard work break down stereotypes and contribute to their community.
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