Our Partnership with Humanitas, By Gilly Thomas, Trustee of Hope for the Family (Romania) Trust
Isn’t it good when two charities work so well together, they could almost be one? Humanitas and Hope for the Family (Romania) Trust, work side by side, seamlessly. Having just returned from a trip to Romania, with a small team from the UK, including the founders of the charity’s – I can testify to both organisations ‘can do’ attitude.
‘Claudiu needs a new bed and chest of drawers. It’s difficult for his wheelchair to manoeuvre in his room with it’s current set up’ says Sarah Wade, CEO of Humanitas.
‘We have enough money in our budget to pay for those items’ reply Maureen and Keith Evans, founders of Hope for the Family. And so, it has been for years.
I recall phone a call from Humanitas - ‘we have twins called Sonia and Stephen, they are to be separated if we can’t find funding to be able to pay for foster care’.
‘Leave it with us’ had been Hope for the Family’s reply. Within a very short time additional UK sponsors had been found, enabling Humanitas to place the twins with two sisters and the children to continue seeing each other every day. This is working in unison at its best.
Sometimes things happen the other way. Hope for the Family received a significant amount of money to be spent on poor families in Romania. ‘Can you help us?’ we asked Humanitas.
‘Yes, we are working with many families in the Roma community on the edge of the village who are in desperate need of basics such as food and clothing’ came the reply. And that is how the partnership works.
It was our joy, once again, to see the beautiful smiles of the children in Safe Homes and the many children in foster care in the community, especially as it is our 20th year of operation. Our teams mission was to build a new playground for Safe Homes and to paint both houses internally. We were blessed to have the help of many of the children and it was enormous fun working alongside Humanitas to get the work done.
A final word of thanks goes to the Romanian house parents, foster mums and dads, therapists and social workers whose dedication and love towards to the children never seizes to amaze us. We salute you.
