Thousands of Romanians are leaving their country every year, trying their luck in another European country. There is almost no chance to find a job and in many sectors wages are too low to feed a family and to make a living. Thousands of children are left behind to live with their grand-parents, aunts and uncles or neighbours. In a documentary, German television reported on the great work Kolping Romania is doing for the so-called Euro orphans. You can watch it from minute 18’32 here.
Every day about 45 children in Oituz in South-Western Romania get a warm meal after school plus lots of love and comfort. For, most of those children see their mom and dad only once a year and only for a short time.
Dr. Markus Demele, General Secretary of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL, visited Kolping Families in Romania in May this year and met some vital communities. “It is amazing to see all those dedicated people who work for Kolping Romania on a voluntary or full-time basis and who create such a dynamic atmosphere. Everyone is getting involved to make projects such as the Children’s Center in Oituz or the training hotel in Brașov a reality“, Mr. Demele said.
There are also some small-scale local initiatives where Kolping Families make things happen. “The Kolping Family Gheorgheni, for instance, organizes a regular charity bazaar and festivities to raise funds for the large number of people in need in their town. Every week the Kolping Family meets in a room of the parish house in Gheorgheni to plan new activities such as a soup kitchen, childcare programs or special classes for people who want to start a business. The enthusiasm of all those people was really contagious“, Markus Demele noticed during his visit to Transylvania.
