Case story – June 28, 2006          

It is day, it is night, I exist and

I want to enjoy all of these… 

“Every day the sun rises, and then sets down again.

Every day children are born.

Every day, at the Civil Status, a lot of parents are coming to, eager to obtain their children’s birth certificates. This is the natural path for such things and it is very important, that after giving birth to a child, to ensure him also the necessary paper, without which he has no rights in life.

I am Maria, and in fall I will be three years old; I also have a one year old brother; but I might say as well that my name is Alina, or Gabriela, or Tanisa – what does it matter anymore? Because I don’t have any birth certificate, and the same as me, is my baby brother.

What ever happened to us when we came into the world? Maybe our parents have not been so happy to become parents!? Or what else could have been the reason for us not to have birth certificates yet?

It’s a great thing we received life, it’s good to have our mummy and her love, but our joy cannot be complete, because the sadness of not being able to prove we exist, overwhelms us.

It’s hard to understand, or maybe we are too young to understand, but if we wait to grow older and our situation does not settle meanwhile, what will happen to us?

Why do our parents not have the same worries?”

Well, the children’s mother is concerned about this aspect. Only now she managed to obtain her identity card, because until this moment she has had the same questions like her children- due to the lack of her mother’s interest in obtaining her identity card. She asked the social worker for support and guidance through the difficult process of papers acquire, but she’s determined to solve this overwhelming and urgent problem.

It’s so sad to see children which cannot go to school because they remain without birth certificates; later on they become parents as well, and they cannot declare their children birth. And all of these on account of very close people.

It’s still so sad that at such modern times, when science and technology are so gone forward, there are a lot of children with this kind of problems. That’s the main reason for which Holt Romania Foundation exists and provides services for children in need.

For Maria and Nicusor the sun finally rises, because we helped their mother obtain her identity card, as well as to prepare the necessary papers in order to get the two children’s birth certificates. Maria and her mother, also received evaluation services, counseling, moral support, connecting to community resources, tax paying and of course material assistance.

And nevertheless, how many children are there in the same situation as Maria and Nicusor, and of whom nobody knows and does anything about?

Social worker: Steliana  ALEXANDRU

Case story – June 2006 

A STORY BY AN ANGEL

            I would like to tell you a story. Even though every human story begins with “once upon a time”, here between stars the time has no past, present or future, so, I would start through saying that I am the lucky angel of a child. You know, there is a very special position to be a Child’s guardian angel. It is an act of responsibility and only some of the angels may do that. So, I was absolutely honored.

            “I waited for him to be born in a warm day. I sat near his mother, in that white room, with strange people, waiting to come into this world that little wonder. When he was born and I saw that perfect child, I was so happy that I started dancing. I had already imagined how proud I would be when we would go in the park, on the street, even to the angels’ meetings! There is no other like mine! Day by day, I helped him to grow up, to be healthy. And, God, I was so proud of him!

When his mother took him and went home, they went hundreds of miles. On the way back home I was responsible for his sleep, for protecting him by an accident, and other little angel staff like these. I also found things about his mother, about her family, about the fact that he has no father “So what – I said – even he has no father, he has a beautiful young mother. And I will be always with him!”  After many hours we entered a dark little room and the mother said “I am home. He is my son” and she looked deep in the eyes of a small, skinny women, with blue eyes exactly like those of the wonder I was taking care of. “She must be the grandmother – I said. She seems to be a nice woman”. And we stayed there. One day, being busy with warming the little boy soul, because outside it was very cold, I found that the mother left and nobody knew where. So, this way, we – the grandmother and her family, and I – became mother and father for the child. And what can I say … the grandmother is a wonderful “mother”! “

               I, as a Holt social worker, understood how difficult the situation is for the grandmother and how great is her need for support, in order to surpass this crisis. The child is at risk right now, and his grandmother is vulnerable; that’s why we decided to offer her counseling, parental education, moral and material support, connecting to community resources.

Social worker: Ada Diana GABOR 

Case story – June 2006 

CHILD…..WITHOUT A CHILDHOOD

“Please, help my baby!” I don’t want him to die! Please, he is the only thing I have in this world!...”Words pronounced trough tears by a sad, thinker and hopeless mother: „And I was so happy when he came in this world.... „

 A happy couple, having a new born baby in their arms went through the world of the parents—a world full of worry and joy, happiness and sadness at the same time—the universe of the parents. „God blessed us with a boy! And we were so happy to have him....” The time was passing by and he wasn’t growing up at all. Andrei was weak and dispensed with energy. The doctors said that it was necessary a long-term treatment for the boy...and many years till a total recovering.   

„My poor baby can’t enjoy his life not even for a moment....the same way ordinary children do: he wants to run but he hasn’t enough energy for this, he wants to play but he hasn’t the necessary power, he wants to eat candy and chocolate, but he can’t. And he doesn’t ask for so much.....he only asks from his life to let him be a child. He wants to be a child. But the destiny forbids this to him” 

In the children’s world, Andrei has learned to live in a different way than the rest of the children: every day he takes pills, he doesn’t allow to himself to run or to play in order not to get tired.  

...”And we were so happy to have this baby boy. Now, I am the only parent present in Andrei’s universe. I divorced and I started to take care of my child by my self. Alone....every day falling asleep and waking up thinking that Andrei’s life can end in every second..... ”

Andrei is a fragile and small little boy and soon he will be 6 years old. He assimilates the food very hard, he doesn’t put on weight, he doesn’t tolerate the gluten and he eats only boiled food. He is in a strict diet all the time and he goes to the doctor for a medical check up every month. Andrei takes medicines all the time. Because of his illness Andrei is situated in accentuated handicap category. Recently, the parents have divorced and the baby has been consigned to his mother. She asked for help to Holt Organization-Iasi Site.

Using counseling and foodstuffs support the social worker has helped the mother to surpass the crisis situation. Taking a great care and with persistence, the illness can be treated. The people that are close to the mother do all their best in order to help her. If life is good to him, Andrei will be able to act like a normal child...

 Social worker: Diana DUMITRIU