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In this my first report I hope it will be one of information about that things can be done which would mean a great deal to the people whom would benefit. MY VISITS SASCA HOSPITAL I had the chance to visit Sasca hospital (It is about 40 miles from where I live) for the first time in my life. Hard to believe for lots of people, but true. Before I met them at the camp I never knew about these Hospitals existed. This Hospital has about 300 inmates who really need special care. The conditions now are very much improved (from the information I have found out), but there are lots of ways in which they can be helped in the future. For example; - They are in the process of having a room for music therapy. At the moment they have an electric organ, but any equipment would be helpful. They need basic computers for them to learn basic skills and play simple games. They have craft therapy, where they learn different crafts like woodwork, needlework etc. The quality of goods they turn out is really good. If people would buy them it would help the hospital, and also give pleasure to the people making them. FALTICENI ORPHANAGE I have visited Falticeni orphanage a few times this year. It is about 30 miles from where I live. They need lots of support. It is the biggest Orphanage in the Suceava region, with about 200 children from 7 to 19 years old. The money they are allowed for each child per day is very little, and not enough when you compare it with prices. GURU-HUMORULUI When I went the last time they again said it was very difficult to buy food with the amount allowed. Unfortunately, this year we could not help with having to buy all the food for the camp and none spare. They are in the process of building another “half way flat” with two rooms where the children can learn to look after themselves (cooking, cleaning etc.) before they leave the orphanage, where they need furniture etc. SUCEAVA This orphanage is very modern. Thanks to sponsors they survive. There are about 80 children here from about 3 to 14, a lot of them coming from the old Boys’ Home at Siret. OTHER VISITS Whilst in Iasi at university I had the chance to visit new places for people with special needs. One of the places was a school for blind children. There are about 120 children here. In all the country there are about five schools, but this is the only one in North Eastern Romania. They are desperate for Braille writing machines. They have some, but they are very old and damaged (new ones can be bought in Romania for about $200). They also need special notebooks to be able to write in Braille. Also needed is a computer with a voice programme, and books where they can write in large print and with pictures for the children who can see very little. A nice place, but with a lot of help needed. Another Orphanage Hospital was in Harlau, a small town near Iasi, where there are about 350 people from 10 to 80. They need everything – clothing, shoes, plates, knives, forks and spoons, pillows, hearing aids etc. A lot of them don’t know how to read or write, so it would be a great help to have learning books with photos in. Some of them do some very nice painting on ceramics, which would help if they could be sold. I visited another two schools that are attached to an orphanage with children with mental illness. There are about 300 boys between 17 and 21 and 260 boys and girls about 7 to 17 years old. Some of these children have parents, but they are too poor to support them in the school. They need the same things as the others; they also need somewhere to go in the summer outside of the gates. All of these institutions need BOOKS, NOTEBOOKS, PENCILS, COLOURED PENCILS, PENS, TOYS, CLOTHING, SHOES, COMPUTERS, CD PLAYERS, PLATES, CUPS, KNIVES, FORKS, SPOONS, COOKING POTS, SMALL RUCKSACKS FOR SCHOOL. All these things need money, and from where. But, of course, all of them need love. It is impossible to buy this, but with a little help we can hope to make their life a little more pleasant and easier. THE CHALLENGE CAMP Lastly, I would like to thank all the people who, in the first place, set up the camp at Zamostea, and the people who have helped to keep this project going. I have now been involved with the camp for seven years as an assistant leader, then as a leader, and then as secretary and as joint activities leader. I know by speaking to the Romanian children, and their teachers, how much this camp is looked forward to. This is a place where the British and Romanian teams do their best, I feel, to give these children all the love and care possible. The big priority of the camps is to get the authorisation for the camp to become permanent! To do this we need authorisation from the Health and Child Protection. We need a place where children can eat and play, which is a safe place. For them to be able to wash dishes with hot water, and safe in all conditions. We need a place that, in case of bad weather, we have an alternate place to sleep, where it is dry and warm if there is a big storm (we have had a few in the last years). I realise it will take a lot of money, but it would be wonderful if we could manage it. We also need to separate the storeroom for equipment, from the food store. It will be great if it is possible to have a private place for the leaders to relax in, and nice at the same time. I hope will be able to organise a good camp and to be able to say at the end “It was great, without any problems”. Thank you for the people who are raising the money to do this. I would like to thank from my heart all those people who will try to help these countrymen of mine. Yours gratefully Helen Vladiuc
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