27.12.2010

    Around the world, December is a month of miracles, a time of giving!

    The same thing happened at the house, where, more than ever, we had many visitors and friends who came to bring us gifts and share their love.

    It all started on December the 4th when, at the initiative of a good friend, a group of 10 people, members of Suzuki Club in Bucharest  came to us in their cars loaded with Christmas gifts and not only.

       We spent hours together listening to carols and setting up the Christmas tree. It was great time and, seeing the boys surrounded by people who care, it just makes your day!                          
   Thank you Adrian, for making this special moment possible!

       Another surprise was the visit of the local football team, Victoria Amara. 5-6 players, accompanied by their coach and team manager came to offer sweets and clothing to the boys.

     One of the most touching moments was when the coach, Professor Martinescu sang a  Christmas carols for us.

     The team promised to come back and I promised to take Sandu to the local Stadium, once the season starts, to see the team play!

     At the end, I would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to everybody  - individuals, institutions, churches, companies - who came at the house to show their love and to share with us.

30.11.2010

       About a month ago, Nedea Ionel, one of the boys in our flats, has decided to take the step for an independent life.

       After more than two years spent in the flat, with help and guidance from FNL staff, Ionel has developed basic life skills that will enable him to have a life of his own. This is our goal for every boy who lives in our flats. We hope that the others will follow his example, sooner or later.

        As Ionel left the flat, we did not want to wast anymore time and we looked  for another boy who needs our support. This is not a difficult thing as so many boys needs help after leaving the institution.

         Therefore, last night I went to meet Alexandru, the newest arrival in the flat. He has spent all his life in different  institutions and he never met his parents. Mentaly he is above the others but the life spent in institutions has left a significant mark on him: in the early years of his life he has got an infection - poliomyelitis - and, without the neccesary vaccin at the time, his legs are now affected. This is way he must use crutches for the rest of  his life. The crutches did not stop him from getting different jobs but it made him loose the jobs because of peoples mentality. I hope, with support from FNL this will soon change and Alexandru will never loose a job because of his disability.

17.11.2010

      The partnership between  Fundatia New Life and  Special School No. 1 Slobozia  will continue in the 2010-2011 school year.
      In this partnership we plan to organize joint activities that will take place both at 'Amara House" and at Special School. For the activities we will be joined by volunteers, students at The Art High School in Slobozia.
      Until then, encouraged by the very nice weather, we organized a trip to Calarasi, a city located 40 km from Slobozia,  with the children from class II A.
   

      It was a beautiful afternoon with a walk in the park on the riverfront. We even had the opportunity to observe the sunset. While the sun was getting ready to go beyond the horizon, we all went  to the car and drove home, thanking God for another wonderful day!

12.11.2010

      This week, our old friends from the Art High School in Slobozia, celebrated "Vegetable week",  in an attempt to make students realize the importance of fresh vegetables in their daily diet.

      On this occasion, among other activities, the students brought to school some vegetables to be offered  to a local charity. As the teacher who supervised the activity was prof. Anca Banica, our friend, she proposed that all the vegetables to be offered to our boys at the house.

      Therefore,  I went to the school accompanied by Dima Valentina and two of our boys - Sandu and Fanel - to personaly say "Thank you" for the offering.

    It was a great chance to see the volunteers, some of them who have been with us in the mountains camp.

    At the end of the day, I think Simona was the happiest as now she has got plenty of fresh vegetables to cook for our boys! 

   In the name of everyone at the house, I would like to say a big "Thank You" to every student from the school who offered, and especially to the director of the school, prof. Dumitru Ciuboata, for initiating this event! I hope other schools will follow your example!

03.11.2010

    Christmas is coming soon. As we did in the last two years, we would like to use the moment to say "Thank you " to all our supporters by sending to each one of them a card made by the boys. It is a small way to show our appreciation to those who have been our suporters over the years. 

     Therefore, the work on the Christmas cards started today. All needed materials have been purchased and the first cards have come out already.  It's a lot of work and we hope to be ready to post them on time. 

28.09.2010

     On Saturday, I went to Braila to visit our boys. I usually visit them twice a month. We spend some time together, we have lunch and we talk a lot!

    Before I go any further with details about the visit, allow me to say a few words about the boys.  

 
Badescu Sandu.

He has spent all his life in different institutions. Originally, comes from a state orphanage in Braila County. He never met his family. The officials think that his mother might leave in Constanta. As a child he was transferred to the Special School in Slobozia for primary classes. Years later, he was sent to the county of his birth, Braila. Like in many other cases, I was a witness of the moment when children were “boarded” in a minibus and, without any preparation or warning, they were sent to different counties. All that, because a new law said at that moment that every county should take care of its own people.  Therefore, friendships were broken, lives were changed forever and Sandu ended in Braila County, where he knew no one.

      He lives a lonely life, with no friends, and crying to see me as often as possible, as the only person from his past who cares about him. 

       This time, as always, I have found Sandu waiting for me on the side of the road just outside the Special School. Again, it broke my heart when I saw him! Poorly dressed, wearing a pair of shoes so broken that you could see his toe!  

      First of all, we went to a local pub for a meal. This is the time to mention that Sandu doesn’t get any kind of social protection from the local authorities except a bed for the night. No food, no medicine… despite the fact that he is still in the school. All I could get from him locally was a daily lunch provided by the Orthodox Church. No wonder, he is always hungry!

      After the meal, we went to a Shoe Shop to get a new pair of shoes. That is the least we could do for him as a charity.

     I will continue to visit Sandu as often as I can and I will keep you up to date with what is going on in his life.    

11.09.2010

     During the summer everyone at the house, with support from the volunteers has been working for this show.

     As you could see from the pictures, there has been a lot of work. But, in the mean time, we had a lot of fun!

     

    Thursday, September, the 9th.

    The big day has come! Lots of people involved in the show, lots of things to take care of! Everyone running around! No wonder, we had a feeling we were in a Fashion House! New Life Fashion House!

    

     We couldn't start the show without a rehearsal. All models lined up and the rehearsal started!

                    Then, finally, the big show! With the audience waiting, the show started.

      After the parade ended, we could all say one thing: it was all worthed! We had a fantastic time!

22.08.2010

   Thanks to the support of some of Fundatia's oldest friends, Sam & Victoria Ingrassia from United States, at the begining of August  we were able to organize a camp in the mountains for our boys at the house.

     Even the camp was shorter than usual (four days instead of seven) we enjoyed every minute of it.

     The new thing about the camp this year is that for the first time three of our most active volunteers have joined us for the camp. It was great to see the boys having somebody arrownd them all the time and spending time with them.

    As the camp was based in the most turistic area of the country (near Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle) we had lots of places to visit every day.

    In the first day we went to visit the castle.  As the ticket to visit the castle is expensive we were very happy when they let us in for free!

    
  
   Second day we went to visit another castle, Rasnov, at about 40 km driving from our camp. The visit was even more interesting as there was some filming for a historical movie.

     Third day we went to Brasov, one of the biggest cities in Romania, with lots of places that worths visiting. Among them, The Black Church and The White Tower, which we couldn't miss.

  22.07.2010

    On the 26th of June 2010 Fundatia New Life received an invitation to be part of a sports event, organized by the City Hall of Fetesti, a town located on the road to Constanta, about 40 min driving from Slobozia.

    We couldn't say no to a such event that doesn't happen very often in Romania. Therefore, along side Fanel, Sandu and Gabi who were designated to be the runners at the event, a huge support group formed of volunteers and students from the Special School in Slobozia joined them.

     Even we didn't get to win any medals, the time we spent there was fantastic. It was also good for for the boys self-esteem to feel they can really achieve in something they love doing.

19.07.2010

     At  the end of the party we had at the house on 10.06.2010, one of the officials who was part of the event (he is now our friend) came up with a great idea. He invited everyone for a barbecue at the house, on his expense.

     Therefore, one week later - on the 17th of June- we all met again at the house.

      It was a great to see so many people at the house: teachers, volunteers, students, kids, staff, etc... While some were taking care of the grill, others were playing or developing new friendships.

       As we set at the table and chat, new ideas came for future activities. For example, with support from the same official (we shall now say our friend) we are planning an exhibition with artworks made at the house and a possible Concerto in the aim of Fundatia.

    15.06.2010

    As the school year was about to end and the volunteers got the summer holiday, we had a final performance at the house where everyone who was involved over the year was invited. Also, some local officials joyned the party.

     
       As always, we had our special friends from the Art High School and from the Special School in Slobozia. Together, boys at Amara, volunteers and special needs students, we have been working together to organize the show.  

     The time we spent together was great. A very special moment of the day was when we displayed a clip with moments from Emil's life, under the title "I need an Angel". At the end of the clip, Emils showed up in his wheelchair joyned by Oana, one of the volunteers, dressed as an angel. That brought tears in to everyones eyes!

20.05.2010

Last night I had a visit to the flats to see how the boys are getting on.

As you know, at present we got three flats in Slobozia. One of them has been handed over for one year to another charity in town who works with  teenagers who are H.I.V. positive.

The single room flat is being used by Adrian who is also employed by Fundatia.

In the 3rd flat we got 4 boys. They all got jobs and they pay towards their living expenses. Also, they pay a small rent.

Lucretia, our career from Amara, visits them regularly and teaches them basic life skills.

Last night, I was happy to see that everything is well at the apartment. The boys are alright even there are some small conflicts between some of them.  As usualy, they've been making efforts and waited for us with cakes and refreshments.

Even we had a good evening, I do have one regret after the visit: the flat needs some costly repairs which Fundatia can not affort at the moment!

25.04.2010

    

    

 

      On Thursday, the 22ND of April, a group of about 25 young students, joined by a small group of special needs children from the Special School in Slobozia with their teacher, Dima Valentina, came to Amara to celebrate. We had a great time playing outdoors, eating donuts and dancing. Thank you all for coming over!

     Our hope is that once those students will leave Slobozia to go to University, they will spread the word about Fundatia and when they will get older and become important citizens of the country they will remember not just our boys at the house but every special needs person who might need their support.

 

01.04.2010

      Even we were not quite ready with the repairs in the house, today we had a group of about 25 volunteers visiting the house.

     The group was formed of high-school students from the Art High School in Slobozia,  with their teacher, Prof. Anca Banica.

     This was not the first time the group came at the house. They are very dedicated to the boys leaving there. Since 2008, they regulary come to visit and to organize special events for us.

     This particular time, they have been painting eggs, the simbol of Easter in Romania. At this time of year, in every family in Romania you will find painted eggs and traditional romanian food like drob and cozonac. And, as we consider ourselfs a big family, we couldn't miss those things for Easter.

       Another small group of children from the Special School No. 1 Slobozia came at the house in the same day, As the kids are in Foster care, they were accompanied by their Foster mothers and by Dima Valentina, teacher at the Special School and also a member in Fundatia's Board of Directors - the romanian side.  

       Together, boys at the house, high school students, children in Foster care, staff and teachers, we had a great day decorating and painting eggs for Easter.   

Happy Easter!

08.02.2010

          Dear supporter of Fundatia New Life,

       Welcome to our new web site!

       We know it has been taking a very long time to set this up but we are new in the field of web pages design.

       As you know, it has been decided that the newsletters and web site will be produced and administrated by the Romanian side of our charity because we want you to get the best picture of how  our work is going in Romania and be updated with all the events at the house.

       Also, this gives me a great oportunity to say "Thank you" to all of you sending birthday cards to our boys. We did received them and they've been handed to the boys! 

      With the new web site, we hope you will feel as being part of the house. We will try to add news anytime something will happen.

        Thank you for supporting Fundatia New Life and for making our work possible.

                                          Yours sincerely,

                                           Marius Istrate