"Close to You" Foundation / Fundatia Alaturi de Voi (ADV)
The "Close to You" Romania Foundation (Fundatia Alaturi de Voi) is a Romanian non-governmental organization with an experience of over 5 years in direct assistance, promoting the rights of HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons and HIV prevention. The National "Close to You" Foundation's headquarters is in Iaşi. Through the centers in Iaşi, Constanţa and Mureş, the Foundation performs in three regions of the country -Moldova, Transylvania and Dobrogea.
The "Close to You" Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life for HIV/AIDS affected and infected people from Romania. The services provided by "Close to You" Foundation are:
- Psychological Assistance for HIV/AIDS Infected and Affected People
- Foster Care for the HIV Positive Child Development of independent life skills
- Workshops of occupational therapy
- Educational integration
- Information, counseling and legal assistance
- Prevention of the Vertical Transmission of HIV/AIDS
- Information, education and public responsibility campaigns
- Vocational training (training sessions, debates, summer schools, conferences, symposiums
- Volunteerism
- Practice for students
- Advocacy
The "Close to You" Romania Foundation develops two projects under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria: The Youth Club and the Vocational Therapy for HIV/AIDS young people. Through the Youth Club project, the Foundation wants to continue and to develop a service designed for youngsters living with HIV and healthy ones.
The first Youth Club was opened in Iasi in June 2004, than in January 2006 was reproduced in Constanţa and in May 2006 in Tg. Mureş. The Clubs had the technical and financial support from UNICEF Romania, in partnership with the General Department of Social Assistance and Child Protection and School District Authorities in Iaşi, Constanţa and Mureş. Currently, under the funding of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria the objectives of these Clubs are:
- Ongoing (within the project's duration and afterwards) development of independent life skills for 300 young people, members of Youth Clubs from Iaşi, Constanţa and Mureş;
- Setting up a network of 30 young people living with HIV/SIDA (infected) from the three counties in order to develop advocacy activities in order to promote and defend the legal rights;
- Involving 15 young people living with HIV/SIDA (infected) from the three clubs in activities such as evaluation of the field's needs, creating services, projects and programs and the evaluation of their impact on community beginning with the second year of the project and afterwards;
- Involving 30 young people living with HIV/SIDA (infected) members of Youth Clubs from the three counties in volunteer activities within the community and Foundation's direct beneficiaries.
Find more information on "Close to You" Romania Foundation http://www.alaturidevoi.ro/!
