Our CRI in Community program in Romania was started in 2011, as a response to warnings received from different sources (media, NGO’s, individuals and groups) revealing a new demographic of children deprived of parental care and who did not live in an institution. From Geta, an Emotional Support Coordinator for MWB in Romania: “I have opportunity to meet beneficiaries who live in very poor material and moral conditions. They know little – if anything – about God and no idea about what to do with their life. All these traits are dominant because their parents have limited education and willpower. They see no further than tomorrow, than their immediate, basic needs. Most important, they do not have God in their life, and this affects all aspects of their lives.” One such child is Ana Maria, who is 13, in seventh grade, and from a family with 5 other children. She was 10 when she and her older sister were enrolled in our program. At the time of her enrollment, her father was working illegally in Italy doing construction work. He stayed in contact every now and then, and whenever he could, sent money home. After two years of living and working among strangers, he came home with very little money and two very serious medical conditions: liver cirrhosis and pulmonary fibrosis. Today, he is 40 years old and living on borrowed time. The Emotional Support coordinator describes Ana Maria as “mature for her age, with a sad smile on her face. She is very responsible and tries to help around the house as much as she can, as if by doing so their family situation would change. Without seeing a chance for improvement, her only steady goal is to have an education so she can provide for her family.” The family rents a small ruined house on the outskirts of Craiova, in south Romania. The house is made of two rooms, one of which is also used as a kitchen. There is no bathroom, and the toilet is outside. Heat is provided by wood in a clay stove. In summer they have a gas tank and cooking range which they use whenever they can afford the refill. A neighbor has a water faucet in their yard and allows Ana Maria’s family to collect water in plastic jars, in exchange for work around their house. They get electricity illegally, straight from an electric pole in front of their home. More than once, the electricity company has summoned them to pay a penalty fee and remove the cables – which they did, only to re-install them a day later. This situation is common to many households in this part of the city, mostly inhabited by poor Roma. The children’s allowances (less than $80 USD/mo) make up the family income, plus whatever they earn by selling metal and plastic waste to recycling units. All family members participate to collecting iron and plastic bottles. It is obvious that Ana Maria has emotional challenges. She is afraid for her father’s life; on a communication or relationship level, we see reduced interactions with other children and an almost obsession with school, as the only way out of her situation. She willingly renounces play-time and dedicates her time to chores. At home, she does not have a proper environment for healthy growth and development. Again, Geta says: “Once you start to open their eyes, they see that there is a different world out there, a different way of living and a different perspective on this life and after. When they start to understand this, they start struggling with their old way of life. This is a fresh start for them.” Mission Without Borders is committed to enabling long-term, sustainable change through our sponsorship schemes, family and child support programs and community care, for just such people as Ana Maria and her family.
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 00:35:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015