COVID-19

Generous help given in Romania

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The Maria Ward Social Centre of Rădăuți, Romania, together with some generous people, has donated 26 tones of food, sanitary and hygiene products for more than 400 children and 250 seniors.

The Maria Ward Social Centre has helped more than 400 children of more than 150 vulnerable families and more than 250 seniors over the last month, including seniors in the care homes at Bogdănești, Sucevița and Solca and children at ”St. Stelian” School for Children with Special Needs, ”St. Leontie” Children Establishment of Rădăuți, ”Children’s Universe” Family-type House of Rădăuți.

26 tons of food, sanitary and hygiene products, pharmaceutical and baby products (diapers, milk powder, etc.) have been donated to beneficiaries from 14 localities of Suceava County: Rădăuți, Burla, Bilca, Vuliva, Costișa, Frătăuții Vechi, Frătăuții Noi, Volovăț, Voitinel, Solca, Siret, Arbore, Sucevița, Bogdănești.

All this has been made possible with the help of various companies and organizations from France and Germany, from Suceava, Botoșani, Neamț, Ilfov Counties, from Bucharest, from people living abroad but also from ordinary people, even seniors who have donated, from their pension, money or whatever they had in their pantry.

The local community but also those from far away have shown that they do care. We appreciate the efforts made by the companies which, while facing economic distress, have supported us strongly and considerably. Above all, all of them have donated with their heart. An old lady came to our door and told me <<I want to contribute some pennies from my pension>>. An older neighbour came with food in a shopping bag saying that <<I have taken out  some jars of jam and zacusca (mashed vegetables) from my pantry to help feed the children>>. A young lady came and donated a sum of money and told us: <<the elderly of my village have raised this money and sent me to give it to you. I am their messenger>>, says Sister Felicitas, to the coordinator of the Maria Ward Social Centre. ”The pandemic has forged friendships, put good people to action, opened hearts and moved borders. It has shown us all that we can do more!” she continued.

The Maria Ward Social Centre will continue to support those in need, by providing them with food, hygiene products and baby products and will run an educational program for children. “Where there is  a shortage of any kind, there is also violence going on, especially in the poor sectors of society, where the lack of education has consequences. We wish we could prevent these things from happening. At the same time, children must never be hungry and the elderly must never be alone or feel helpless or abandoned”, says Sister Felicitas.

“Following the mission of empowering children to get rid of their precarious social condition and to discover a better world, the Centre will run an educational program adapted to the current restrictions in order to bring the children to “the online school”. Until now, we have strived to stop children from abandoning school and their families. We don’t want this effort to be wasted,” says Sister Felicitas.

Sister Felicitas Butacu CJ Romania

Esther Finis