Progress in 2008

This page reports on achievements through 2008. After the Introduction, most recent updates are at the top of the page.

This page was updated on 12/11/2008.

Introduction

We are helping a Romanian charity 'FAST' build a welfare centre for poor Roma children in Sacele, near Brasov. We took this picture in one of the four Roma villages around Brasov.  We were saddened to see the poor quality of the housing and services, such as sanitation and water supply.  We were also better able to understand how serious is the lack of pre-school preparation for the Roma children, many of whom can't cope with school when they start at age seven and drop out, perhaps to become street children. The new welfare centre will address all of these problems. 

The 2008 team dates: 3-10 May, May 31-7 June, 22-29 September and 20-27 October. The teams are a mix of men and women with basic if any DIY skills prepared to get their hands dirty, and spend some time with the children. Volunteers need to become members (£5) and if they wish to join one of our teams are expected to make a donation to STEPS Romania of around £400.  STEPS pays for transport, food, accommodation and materials for our work.  We work hard, but it's very satisfying to be able to make a difference.

We expect to complete our contribution to the welfare centre for Roma children during 2008.

Can you help us in any way? More details about this project

The Duchess of York and her daughters visit abandoned children in Turkey and gypsy children in Romania: http://www.itv.com/CatchUp/Video/default.html?ViewType=5&Filter=30129

Progress October 2008

There were nine people in the ‘STEPS Romania’ October team.

They made a collage depicting contributions made by the four STEPS teams that have worked at the welfare centre in 2008

To meet new health rules in Romania, the STEPS team converted a store room into a new entrance and changing room for visiting children. This involved clearing the store room, partitioning it, preparing it for decoration and building concrete steps outside.

Progress September 2008

The STEPS Romania team from Plymouth had a very busy and successful week working at the welfare and education centre for Roma children in Sacele. They decorated the reception area, fitted a door to the reception area store room, and painted the door that leads from the reception area into the laundry.

They spent a lot of time with the children who come in from the surrounding villages each day.

Donations from friends and supporters in Plymouth enabled them to purchase a much needed tumble drier, pans and a drinking water filter for the kitchen, and monitors for the children’s computer room. They bought shoes and wellies for the children and made bags to store their things at home. They also bought a portable CD player that could be used by people from the welfare centre when visiting schools.

Progress June 2008

There were seven people in the STEPS June team: Craig Brown, Neil Gregory, Lorna Marsland, Margaret Sharp, Colin Skelton, David Swindlehurst and Sara Wells.

The main task was to decorate the large activity room upstairs, which involved clearing it of stored furniture, preparing the ceiling, painting it and the walls, and laying a laminate floor.

The burglar alarm system was extended to the upstairs floor and smoke detectors fitted to both floors.

Donations allowed us to buy a computer for the Roma children to learn how to use it and for educational DVDs.

STEPS has paid for the completion of the insulation, rendering and painting of the outside walls.

A visit to one of the nearby Roma villages reminded us of the appalling conditions they suffer and why we were there to help them.

Progress May 2008

The one man STEPS May team has returned. Good progress has been made on the outside walls.

The end wall of the building has been insulated and clad in timber and the front wall has been insulated and skimmed with cement. Both these walls need treating or painting. The back wall cladding is still to be completed.