In 2012 the number of abandoned children in maternities and other medical units got to almost 1,500, a greater number comparing with past years, according to the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection.
The volunteering program in hospitals and institutions for the children in difficulty was founded especially to respond to this serious condition. Touched Romania is a trusted partner of the state institutions to provide help to the abandoned children from the hospitals and institutions in Bucharest, with a volunteering program and donations for the primary needs of the children. Founded in 2002, this program has the purpose of reducing the physical, emotional and educational differences following the children institutionalization, helping the ones abandoned in hospitals or having serious medical conditions. The number of children that have benefited from this program is 800.
This program includes:
- Ensuring a holistic care for newborns (their physical, emotional and material needs)
- Massage and stimulation for the newborns
- Child developing and evaluation
- An educational and social reintegration program for the institutionalized children
The volunteering program is being developed in several institutions and hospitals in Bucharest, such as the Institute for Mother and Child, abandoned babies unit, Fundeni and M. S. Curie Hospitals – the pediatric oncology unit and the Emergency Reception Center for Abused Children.
Now, 30 volunteers work in these hospitals. They are trained for child care and development. Also, other groups of students and volunteers from multinational companies are involved wanting to take care of seriously ill and abandoned children.
“I am happy to see people who usually have nothing to do with this area, involving in helping children, doing more than they are asked and being so powerfully impacted themselves.” Stefan Sfeatcu, Project Manager