Thank you and Seasons Greetings from our students and teachers in Siret!
Dear <<First Name>>
We are pleased to announced that due to Choice Care's Groups efforts at fundraising for us we now have the means to pay another teacher. This will be to work alongside our existing teacher for the next two years with the more disabled students living in the hospital institution who have difficulty accessing our school facilities in town.
We are also happy to announced that due to a generous increase in standing order commitments we can now fund another young woman to move into our supported living accommodation and leave the hospital accomodation. This is due to the successful rehabilitation of a previous young woman who is now married and living in the community with her young child independently.
The end of 2014 brings in the 25th Anniversary of Romania’s 1989 revolution. Romania's revolution was the most violent of the Eastern European bloc. This led to the fall and state execution of their infamous dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, on Christmas Day. Thereby revealing his legacy of Romania's orphaned and abandoned children. Many were found languishing in appalling conditions in orphanages and institutions across the country, with an extreme lack of food, essential items and resources, and emotional nourishment many failed to thrive. Hardships were found across the country and shortages of essential items such as food and fuel also extended to the rest of the population and local community in Siret.
This recent article, Ceausescu's Children by Wendell Steavenson in The Guardian, gives a good insight into some of the factors that led to the problem. The resiliency of these now young adults when given choices and opportunities in a safe environment and with safe relationships is a testimony to their courage.
One of these institutions was the Neuropsychiatric Hospital for Children in Siret, Northern Romania. At the time housing 510 children. This is where many of us first volunteered prior to founding School for Life Romania. We continue to work with these now young adults that we first worked with as children in the early 1990's.
If you'd like to learn more about the story behind the orphaned and abandoned children of Romania and the systemic factors which led to the sheer numbers, check out one of our founding members and Trustee's who will be blogging on Romania over the coming months www.sylviagurr.com.
We would like to thank all our dedicated sponsors who have supported us over the past two decades and all our new supporters who have more recently join us. The value and positive impact of our work on these now young adults, who grew up in the orphanages and institutional care system in the 1980’s and 1990's as children, is witnessed daily by our teachers, students and during our visits.
Our students dressed in traditional costume ready to celebrate International Day of People with Disability
3rd December 2014
You can see more photos by clicking on this link
We'd also like to thank our dedicated team of staff in Romania and all the wonderful work they do, promoting consistent, safe relationships with our students and residents, advocating their needs to the local community and authorities, thank you!
*New Appeal*
We now need to raise funds to resurface our courtyard and repair our fencing to ensure security at our project since the insulation of our school and housing facilities. We also wish to develop a sensory garden for the students in the new hospital accommodation that they have now moved into.
If you can help in any way with our appeal, or help us continue our ongoing work by organising a sponsored event, or donating or setting up a standing order, we would really appreciate it.
Just click on the secure Just Giving link below Its easy to do and only takes 5 mins!
Thank you for your support, every donation however small goes a long way!
Here are some of the fundraising events that supporters have done this year so far.
Katie’s ceilidh £2300, Nick’s gigs £800, Jenny’s babysitting £1423.56, Anjali's marathon £335, Robert Carlyle fan £216, the Scotstoun ladies coffee morning raised around £350 (with particular thanks to Ann Wilbur for hosting).
We know there are also a lot more supporters who have been busy fundraising for us for many years which we would like to thank for all their tireless support.
Please email your achievements to us at info@schoolforliferomania.org so we can thank you in person and in our newsletters!
