Family Sponsorship

This programme has also been running since 1999 and was started when our manager, Florin Benghea, alerted the charity to some disturbing facts:

  • Many children were still being put in orphanages as families could not cope.
  • Older children who were bright enough to go on to ‘further education’ at 14 were prevented from doing so as a daily fare to the city was prohibitive, as was the cost of hostel accommodation.

Since then, over 45 families have received regular sponsorship.

Some have dramatic stories:

  • Mihai and his sister Lenuta, who were taken from an orphanage and given the chance of a normal life;
  • Ioana, whose father died the day she was born. Her mother was able to pick herself up and go on because she felt loved - someone cared and was sponsoring her.
  • Adina, whose father lost both his legs in an accident whilst helping a small boy onto a train, has been through school and University.
  • Elena, who was born with only one leg, is supported through sponsorship. The family have to manage the task of finding the doctors and getting new prostheses every few months as there is no NHS to support them.

There are many very positive stories like:

  • Cristina, whose mother died and father took to drink, went through school and University and gained TOP MARKS – and is now married with a lovely little girl
  • Marius who has Down ’s syndrome but is so happy and copes well. His parents can afford his medication only because they are sponsored.
  • Ramona, from a poor family, who persevered and went on through school and has a good job now.
  • Csilla, whos dad is very ill and cannot work. She is so bright and has been enabled to go to the best academic school in Sibiu where she is the star pupil
  • Alexandra, a little girl of 7 with Cerebral palsy, whose family are able to get exercises for her now and see her walk and feed herself, always with a smile on her face.