Holt Romania
FOUNDATION OF CONSULTANCY AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Case story – March 2008
Childhood on a hospital bed
Nicolae is a little boy who on December 13th 2008 turned six. He has another two brothers with whom he loves to play and shares both joyful and sad moments.
Unfortunately many times Nicolae cannot be with his brothers because he’s forced to stay hospitalized, sometimes for months. He suffers from “Nephrotic syndrome to his kidneys” and that’s why he becomes turgid and has to stay in hospital for long periods of time. All these happen since he was one year and two months old. Thenceforward Nicolae was hospitalized many times, for very long periods, for investigations and medical supervision.
Nicolae remains in hospital alone: without his mother, father or brothers and this is the reason why those moments are very harsh on him, as besides physical pain, also appears the emotional one - he needs to endure also his family’s absence. In addition to that Nicolae has to keep up with a diet (imposed by his illness) which is much too drastic for such a young child. As every other child he wishes to eat certain food (which normally isn’t aloud for his condition), and when he does, everything gets out of control, and he is hospitalized once more.
Nicolae goes to kindergarten whenever he is not in hospital. He’s bright and stout, communicates easily with both his teacher and classmates, and has a very good memory. Generally speaking, he is an active and quick boy, who loves to run outdoors, plays with the animals in the farm, stays around his brothers when they are making their homework, runs back to his mother, intervenes in different situations and never gives up when he really wants something.
The child belong to a large family, their house is very modest, the endowment very poor, but, the family’s greatest wealth and joy, is represented by the three boys. What makes them sad and worried at the same time is Nicolae’s difficult medical situation.
The children’s father is the only one working, but he receives the minimum wage – which is very little for such a large family and for such great medical expenses.
Nicolae and his family receive from Holt Foundation specific services, such as: evaluation, counseling, information/ guidance, access to community services, follow- up, moral and material help consisting in food supplies.
Social Worker – ALEXANDRU STELIANA
Case story – March 2008
When I will grow up
I wished to grow up…
I was watching every day in the mirror to see how much I had been growing up. I was living every little child’s dream…to be an adult. I wished to wear adult clothes, rings, pointed hills, I wished for a boy to hold my hand, to do everything my way. I dreamed to have my children, a girl, to play with her and to dress her in pink clothes. My mother was always telling me: “When you will grow up you will do what you want to do, but now you do what I say!”
I was desperate to be a young woman.
Now…what shall I say…all my dreams vanished? I’m all grown up. I am a fifteen years old girl and I feel so old. Why no one told me, the world of the grown up people is so sad? I have grown up. I decide what clothes and shoes to wear, but what a pity I couldn’t decide what way to go in life. Because my mother didn’t keep her promise; she didn’t let me decide my way. She sold me to a gipsy man instead of a vodka bottle. He was pretending I was his wife. He forced me to go with him, to work, and…not to be a child anymore. I didn’t imagined that the little girl I wanted to have can be created without love, but with a lot of threatens and a knife near my neck. I didn’t imagine that I can win freedom by running and also that I can be free only when I stay hidden.
I wonder if I want to be a little girl again…I don’t think so.
I wish to go to school, to be preoccupied by what to wear, what homework I have to do and what I would like to be when I grow up.
I would like to be a fifteen years old girl.
Buliga Cristina is on Holt Organization’s attention starting this month. She was recommended to Holt by the social worker from her school. Last year her mother sold her to a gipsy man instead a vodka bottle. She was forced to work and to have sexual relations with him. In February Cristina run away and she asked for help to the director of her school. With her support, now, Cristina stays in a hostel and she goes to school again. In this period, Cristina is making a lot of tests in order to check her state of health. She is receiving moral and material support from the social worker of Holt Organization in order to surpass the crisis situation.
Social worker - GUZU Claudia
Case story – March 2008
The princess from the plastic castle
In one of those cold winter days, I met Nicola in a beautiful mountain village, in a story like landscape; you can see some little houses like they were almost ready to fly.
But in reality they are some plastic tents where all 10 members of Nicola’s family live.
They are called nomads. Even they were born in this mountain village, they lived in many places. Nicola is the younger member of the family; she is just 2 years old. For her this village is already the second place where they lived. From her eyes you can read the will to play, the mother’s wish of offering her a toy and the need of someone speaking to her.
I saw many poor families but this one made me understand what is like to be poor and to live in pain in a plastic house.
Because they don’t have where to live, because they suffer for hunger almost all the time, the life of this family is a continuous struggle. From one village to another, from one tent to another, they lost their roots, their identity. Night for them means pain. The cold outside and the wild animals are two more enemies which make their life a nightmare. The snow, which is usually a joy for children, is now a nightmare for them. Waking up in the morning is a challenge. Because they don’t get any money, makes it impossible for the parents to buy healthy food, a toy or a new coat, and maybe the most painful, is the lack of opportunity to access education. People don’t even look at them. The parents feel they are at the end of their strength. Only the smile of their little “princess” gives them the strength to fight.
We met Nicola and her family because the children welfare authorities asked Holt Foundation to help them. When we arrived there, we saw that they were all crowded in that little plastic tent, like they were waiting for someone to save them. We tried and made them understand that they were important people and they would pass through this challenge that life gave to them. They have regained their formal identity: we have assisted the parents to obtain new identity cards. We offered them food, clothes, and toys for the children. We also assisted them in the relation with the local authorities, and until now, they have obtained promises for a support in order to build a little house. We will look after them and anytime they will need our help; we will assist them to find solutions for a decent life and a better future for the “princess in the plastic castle”.
Social worker - Simona Feldrihan
Archive: 2006 /