| In February 1998 'Cry in the Dark' visited Dofteana orphanage in the Bacau region (in the North East) of Romania, conditions were appalling. We found 26 children aged between 5 and 12 suffering from malnutrition and neglect. They were sometimes naked, not taken to the toilet and rarely washed. Many were seriously ill, physically and mentally handicapped; some with HIV/Aids and hepatitis. The children were moved to Ungereni hospital where conditions were better but still not very good. Cry in the Dark decided to set up a new home for some of these children. A home where they will receive proper care, stimulation and love. In February 1999 Cry in the Dark purchased a house in Comanesti situated on 5000 square meters of land next to the Baptist Church. We renovated the existing building and adapted it to suit the daily needs of the children as well as extending it considerably with a new accommodation block. |
| On
29th May 2000 twenty-three of the children moved into their own home. They
moved from the dark into the light and began a new era in their lives. For
the first time the Dofteana children have a home where they can be loved
and develop to their full potential. Now we need to focus on raising funds for the day-to-day running costs of the home. We have loving staff, access to doctors and health workers and their focus is on settling the children in and re-building the children's broken lives. It will be a long process with varying degrees of success, as the children all have special needs. Some have already responded and in time will rebuild their lives, others will take longer and there will be a limit as to how much we can achieve. One thing is for sure, however, that with the dedicated staff we have in place we know that every child will, in time, reach their full potential. |