HHC UK Wins a Silver Design Business Association Award!

The Hope and Homes for Children UK website was awarded a Silver Design Business Association award, at the 2013 Design Effectiveness Awards last week. The award is meant to ‘recognise the return on investment that coherent, well-thought-out and professionally executed design can achieve.’ These awards are recognised as industry-leading in the design and creative sector. Hope and Homes for Children was in the Digital category, with The Daily Mail, Bath Rugby and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd also winning prizes. The Daily Mail site won a gold award in the digital category. Other brands who received awards on the night include Adidas, Marks & Spencer"s, Nestle and Lloyds TSB.

A huge well done to Beth, Steve and Verity in the HHC UK Team!

Children in the Childcare System, Tied to Their Beds in Hospital

Would you imagine your two year-old child tied to a cot, by the hands and legs? If you had a child with special needs, would you neglect him, abuse him in hospitals in our country? How much has our childcare system grown insensitive, if six children with special needs are abandoned by public specialised childcare services, in hospitals? How mean should our social system be, if it is cold in front of violence manifested upon children without any possibility to defend themselves? Ți-ai imagina copilul tău de doi ani, legat de mâini și de picioare de pat, în spital? Dacă ai avea un copil cu nevoi speciale, l-ai lăsa de izbeliște, neglijat și abuzat prin violență prin spitalele din țara noastră? Cât de mult s-a desensibilizat sistemul de protecție a copilului, dacă șase copii cu nevoi speciale sunt abandonați de serviciile publice specializate în protecția copilului, în spitale? Cât de înrăit trebuie să fie sistemul social în care existăm, dacă e nepăsător în fața violenței manifestate asupra unor copii fără nici un fel de posibilitate de a se apăra?

"I the law of mental health, it is allowed to tie a person suffering from psychiatric illness in some special circumstances, to protect them from accidents while diagnostic and treatment procedures are on course. It is part of the law, I do not mean that the approach is correct or incorrect, but it is within the limits of the law." This is what the president of the College of Physicians in Buzau says. And psychiatric specialists utter more absurdities: binding children suffering from psychiatric illness to their cots in in their own favour, as "they can harm themselves"... Instead of coming with alternatives, with solutions, or with formal  blames to such behaviour of hideous carelesness.

What kind of country do we live in? How dehumanised is the social system we are part of? When do we get to value the dignity every person, not to say every child - is entitled to?

Emil Olteanu is the HHC Romania Head of Development

From January 1st, he took over the organisational development in Hope and Homes for Children Romania. Emil Olteanu is the fresh blood we needed. We want to develop our in-country fundraising capabilities, and Emil is to take care of this directly. We do so many programmes, work with so many children and families, and my aspiration is that Emil send this message to so many who have not yet heard of us, and then build new partenrships. Good luck and welcome to the team!

We are the country with the smallest expenditure on social protection in the European Union

I do not want to hear again that Romania puts money into social protection. With 17,6%, we are very far from France"s 33,8, from Germany"s 30,7, or from Austria"s 30,4. Even Bulgaria spends over 18% to help its poor citizens. We are a jungle waiting for the old to die from hunger or disease, waiting for the young students to find a life in countries that offer them a dignified chance to life, waiting for the middle-aged to either become resigned with surviving in this misery, or go abroad and find a new destiny in countries that actually value human beings.

Many times, on the streets, in towns, people seem heartless. With desperate women, holding babies numbed from hunger and cold, with children who would do anything for a penny, with youngsters sleeping under bridges - this country seems to be a colony you look forward to escape from.

In the civilized Europe, there are no other countries mocking its children and the elderly like this. There are no other countries looking passively at hunger, at everyday desperation, at violence and lack of solidarity.

Children and Youngsters with Special Results Were Given Diplomas at the HHC/ARK Gala

They are special because of their hard work and tenacity. This made us offer them a diploma. Lucia Varga (Griviţei 37)- For extraordinary sports performances, in Taekwondo, Romania Cup, 2012, where she was the first.

Mihai Varga (CTF Dealul Florilor)-  For a youngster passionate for music, who is able to conquer any audience with his talent and modesty.

Doru Bogar ( CTF Griviţei 37) – For the very good sports results, obtained in Aikido, for his talent and will to assert himself in painting.

Monica Bumbar (prevention) - For an ambitious and reliable young lady, with very special results in school.

Alexandru Pinczes (CTF Hollosi S.) - For very special sports performances, including the participation to the Boxing Championship Final in 2012.

Luminiţa Canalos (CTF Dealul Florilor) - For a young artist, who has the gift of enchanting our eyes and souls with her paintings.

Gheorghe Silaghi and Terezia Boldiş - For their continuous involvement and support for children, for the warmth and attention they offer these children.

I thank them all, for they manage to inspire both me, and my colleagues.