Notes from the field ...
"4 years ago when Florin had one of his fits, he was fastened to the radiator and injected with antipsychotic drugs. Today, through patience, methodic work and affection, he has slowly become less wild. You should see how happy he is in doctor Elena's arms. 4 years ago the 50 children at the Galata medico-psycho-social centre were treated like "things". Like thousands of other children in Romania they were condemned to spend their whole life locked up. Today they go out accompanied and some even go to the school in the city. What huge progress. I have just come back from Romania and I can tell you that SOLIDARITIES' programme at Galata is on the way being a great success, and has been recognised by the Romanian authorities, who have asked us to carry on." Alain Boinet, Director

Emergency Aid
In conjunction with the European Union (ECHO), SOLIDARITES distributed the following items during the winter of 1999-2000 to 41 institutes for the mentally handicapped (which often also house orphans):

food products (flour, rice, pasta, vegetables, powdered milk, sugar, meat)
hygiene products (soap, detergent, disinfectant, shampoo, chlorine)
fuel for the kitchens

In conjunction with the French Government and as Leader of a joint operation with three other French charities (Handicap International, Médecins du Monde, Solidarité Enfants Roumains Abandonnés) SOLIDARITES organised the distribution of these same food, hygiene and fuel products to 72 orphanages.

Creation of a pilot unit
Creation of an outdoor play-ground
Rehabilitation of sanitary installations and dividing walls
Rehabilitation of the laundry room

Training Programme
The Romanian staff was trained and assisted by French professionals : psychologists, special education teachers, school teachers, child psychiatrists and physiotherapists. The ultimate objectives were to:
pass the responsibility for the educational program over to the Romanians;
supplement the training programme with regular visits by a child psychiatrist and a child psychologist.

Rehabilitation
creation of a secretary's office
rehabilitation of a medical assistant's consulting room
adult accommodation (for women)
staff cloakroom and toilets
opening of a new pavillion
orthophonist's office
social worker's office
renovation of electrical installation
fitting out of pavillions I and III and of the MESE room (toilets, dividing walls)

Links with the outside world
3 objectives:
Send the children to school
Re-establish links with their biological family
Develop links with other institutions

Reorganisation of the institution
In coordination with the medical staff, reorganization of the institution:
organisation of the activities in each pavilion
reorganization of services (catering, laundry room, administration, maintenance)
human resources management (time sheet, job descriptions, planning of vacations)

Emergency Aid
from December 1989

9 emergency missions comprising 28 vehicules, 83 volunteers and 100 tons of food supplies for 64 orphanages, 7 hospices, 3 hospitals and 2 archdioceses.

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation of the Versini, Propricani and Bogdodanesti Orphanages(June 1993)
Restoration of the buildings of 6 institutions near the cities of Iasi, Vaslui and Birlad (November 1993 - December 1994)

"Gift" Operations

"Send a Christmas gift to a Romanian orphan"

During this operation in September 1990, we gave a present to each of the 20,000 children in 88 orphanages (a total of 190,000 different products, 8,000 translated postcards and 20 tons of fruit), delivered between Christmas and New Year's Day.

"French dictionaries for Romanian schoolchildren"

With the active participation of Bernard Pivot, 15,000 dictionaries and 20th century literary works were distributed in 578 high schools in Romania in November 1991.