Transforming lives in Romania
Humanitas began its journey in Romania in 2001, driven by the urgent need to address widespread child abandonment and institutionalisation. Heartbroken by the treatment of abandoned babies and young children, we took decisive action to give them a future filled with hope.
Today, we focus on empowering the young adults who were once the vulnerable children we rescued. These individuals are now navigating the challenges of adulthood, and we remain committed to providing the resources, guidance, and care they need to thrive.
Humanitas continues to evolve, but our core mission remains the same: to uplift and empower the children, families, and communities we serve. From our earliest days in Romania to our present work, we are proud to be part of a story of transformation, resilience, and hope.
Our History in Romania
We have worked closely with families in impoverished areas to improve access to education, healthcare, and job opportunities, particularly within Roma communities.
Our early efforts included:
- Residential Homes and Foster Care: Providing safe, loving homes for children who had been abandoned.
- Trauma Recovery Programmes: Therapeutic support to enable children to heal emotionally and physically from their early life experiences and rebuild their lives.
- Second Chance Education: Our adult education programme offered Roma men and women the opportunity to earn government-recognised academic certificates and secure meaningful employment.
- Access to Healthcare: We established medical clinics offering free access to medical consultations, contraception, and prenatal care in Roma communities. We also ran a counselling service in maternity hospitals and community-based healthcare clinics, providing essential support to families that were at risk of abandoning their child.
Our work had a profound impact, including a 60% reduction in child abandonment rates in Bihor County.
