Ștefan Dărăbuș

Hope and Homes for Children Romania grew up with my own children. Over the years, all I have done is about Hope and Homes for Children. Successes or failures, frustration and happiness, ecstasy and agony - all mixed up in a turmoil of intensity. These are strong words, but the actual life has been infinitely more powerful. Altogether, I lived in these 20 years what other go through in a 100. We often say that, to have a fulfilling present, a child needs a past he/she is comfortable with. And even only to be able to think of the future, any human being needs a sort of a pact with the present they live. Our future is, I think, the future of the 28.000 children whose lives we touched, by doing them some good.

In the 16 years, we managed to help 19,000 children stay home, with their families. We saved some 6,000 from abusive, traumatising, institutions. Some 700 we reunited with their families. And close to 700 youngsters have been able to become independent, because of us. With 114 small group homes, day centres, mother and baby units and other family-based services developed, we transformed the way they do social assistance in Romania.

Our vision is simple: every child needs a home and a family. So what we have done for 20 years all over the world is crystal clear: we save the most vulnerable children from state institutions, or from abuse hard to even think of - and we bring them into the safety of a family life.