DARE Romania Project 2009:
Campina and Bucharest

Overview

In 1980s Communist Romania, contraception and abortion were outlawed in a bid to increase the Romanian workforce. As a result, the population ballooned. Parents did not have the money, space or time to look after their children and many were abandoned or left in orphanages where, it transpired in the early 90s, they were abused, neglected and starving. A decade later, a huge number of children have migrated from these orphanages to the streets. Some of them reached 18 and were no longer able to stay in the orphanages. Some ran away because they were poorly treated and believed they could make a better life for themselves. But with no home, no money, no education and no skills, these children were unable to find homes or jobs, and instead turned to theft, drugs, prostitution and street crime.

The lives of the children on Romanias streets, whose ages range from 1day old to their late 20s are unimaginable. They are not treated as citizens, but like animals. They sleep on the streets, down sewers, in burnt-out cars, in rubbish dumps and ruined buildings. They have no access to hospital care, benefits or social security.

Over the past two years DARE have sent 4 successful projects to Romania, two in the summer and two at Christmas time. The two organisations that D.A.R.E. works with in Romania are called Open Hands (or Mana Deschisa in Romanian) and City of Hope. Details of their web addresses are below:

Open Hands: http://www.openhanden.nl/en/manadeschisa.php
City of Hope: http://www.streetkidsmatter.org.uk/ and click on News then Hope Rescue Centre

This years summer project has been confirmed by Open Hands but we are still unsure if you will also be able to spend time with the City of Hope staff. Unfortunately their building has been knocked down and they currently have no base to work from. We hope this situation will improve soon.

Open Hands is a rehabilitation centre which helps kids who have already managed to get themselves off the streets. They provide drug and alcohol rehabilitation (most kids on the street are addicted to glue, as this controls their hunger pangs and helps them forget their lives), counselling, education, skills teaching (candle making and construction) to help them get a job, help to find an apartment and help to find a job. Most of the children stay for 2-3 years while they work through a structured programme and are then able to leave the centre and live independently.

City of Hope works with the children on the streets, providing them with practical support such as food, clothes, medication and hot meals. Each day, they have a specific programme in the centre, such as a mother and baby group (mothers are given nappies, baby clothes, milk, etc. as well as support). They also help kids obtain identity cards which allow them to get a job and go to hospital, e.g. to have their baby, and they assist young people in finding their parents, returning home or finding a more suitable place to stay.

Activities

The majority of the project will be spent at Open Hands. Here you will slot in with the students daily routine. The mornings are usually spent doing fun activities such as games, sports, music, art, etc. This helps the students learn new skills, teaches them how to interact with each other and you, allows them to learn about respect and rules and also helps them relax! The afternoons are spent in various ways: helping the students with their chores in the centre; working towards a weekly challenge (e.g. raft building); and working on site in the candle factory or building site, both of which bring in money for the centre and teach the students skills which will help them get a job. Evenings are spent watching DVDs, playing board games, going for walks, etc.

Although not yet confirmed, it is hoped that volunteers will also spend a few days working with the City of Hope team to see the life on the streets. Here you will help out in the day centre and go out on outreach work on the streets – bringing out food and clothes and seeing where the kids live. The last two groups have also spent a couple of days working at a maternity/childrens hospital, white washing and painting murals on the ward. This hospital receives no government funding and is the only free hospital in the area, used by the poorest Romanians. We hope the group would also spend a few days here helping to clean and decorate the hospital.

Dates

Open Hands Project: 10th – 21st June. Time at City of Hope and the maternity hospital is flexible and will be before or after this depending on the groups wishes and the availability of flights, accommodation, etc.

Cost

Direct flights are around £170-240. If you wish to do some travelling before or after, EasyJet fly very cheaply to Budapest and Istanbul, both of which are a train journey away.
Accommodation at Open Hands, plus 2 meals per day will cost approximately £8 per day. An evening meal in a restaurant will cost between £2-6, depending on how hungry you are! You could cook in the apartment for cheaper.
Accommodation at City of Hope will be in an apartment or hostel of your choice and will cost around £6-10 per day. Meals on top of this will be very cheap, around £7 per day.

Volunteer Qualities

Volunteers must be willing to work hard, as you will be working until late in the evening most days. You must have enthusiasm and energy. You must also be prepared to see some really disturbing sights on the streets - this project is not for the faint-hearted. Although this project can be distressing, it is extremely rewarding.

e-mail daredundee@googlemail.com with any questions