“Alaturi de Voi” (Close to You) Foundation and the HIV infected young people, a new beginning
What do the young HIV infected people do nowadays, here, in Romania? In what colors and shades do they pencil their future? What way do they choose in life? These are questions we all ask waiting for their answer. Romania had and still has, in comparison with other countries, a special situation regarding the evolution of HIV epidemics: we all remember the terrifying imagines, caught in orphanages and infants' homes, broadcasted day and night by the international TV stations. Hundreds of abandoned children were waiting hopelessly for their end caused by the most unmerciful disease: HIV/AIDS infection. Then the testing began and the truth, even more unmerciful, came out: not even the children from families, the ones with health problems and multiple hospitalizing were spared. Thus, Romania became the country with the most children infected with HIV in Europe. National and international resources fight with this unmerciful disease. The therapy and treatment regiments rapidly evolved, becoming more and more efficient, limiting the disease's evolution and extending the life expectance beyond expectations.
And here we are in 2007: yesterday's children are today young adolescents or just passing into adolescence, and they are trying to find their road in life. What do they do? Where are they going to? Questions waiting for their answers, especially because the professional and social integration or HIV infected young people are still in its beginnings.
"Alaturi de Voi" (Close to you) Foundation - ADV, with the headquarters in Iasi, is one of the first organizations in Romania that effectively involved in assisting the HIV infected children and young people. Over the years, the activities developed by ADV targeted the improvement of life quality of these young people, their social and professional integration, the habit of independent life skills.
Thanks to the Global Fund, ADV continued and developed previous projects, like the one dedicated to workshops through which they ensure a vocational therapy to the HIV infected young people. In the three cities where it deploys its activity, Iasi, Constanta and Targu Mures, ADV constantly promoted among the HIV infected young people this alternative of learning - therapy. In short time, the number of those who attend these workshops increased also because of the fact that the ADV team found an exciting and modern way to encourage and stimulate them to get practical skills, to value their talents and to build a beautiful and fulfilled life.
Thus, 11 young people that currently attend the artisan art workshop learned the secrets of modeling, decorative art, working with yarn, floral arrangements. The ones who come here are young people from the orphanages, as well as young people protected in the maternal assistance families but also HIV infected young people from families. 5 of them participated to a creation camp, scope of socializing and experience exchange.
At the bindery workshop we find 8 young people who are very involved in what they do: catalogue covers, correspondence maps, identification cards, diploma projects, photo frames, presents bags, agendas, note books, etc. What they do, they do with a lot of passion and they want to open a little store in the future to sell the results of their work.
Another 11 young people answered to the challenge to learn the secrets of the most modern mean of communication: the computer, within the computers workshop. The most advanced have already learned working notions and techniques for Adobe Photoshop, Corel, computer graphics, thus making the design for cards, flyers, posters, etc. The beginners stopped for a moment to Word operating and make up, using the Internet and other practical applications.
The special artistic talent, the esthetic and proportions sense found as means of expression the creations in the painting workshop. Seven young talented people amaze through the quality and artistic value of the works they make. Through the attentive training by professional trainers, the young people learn techniques specific to the domain and approach different types of work materials: paper, canvas, glass, calc, etc. Even the workshop's walls are decorated with paintings of high quality.
"Each young man represents a life story; the involvement in the occupational therapy workshops' program completes a large range of services that are offered to these young people - from the psycho-social assistance program that helps them get over crisis situations up to the Young Men Club that helps them socialize and look at life in an optimistic manner, from information, education and communication campaigns up to juridical consultancy services" Veronica Valcu, ADV project coordinator tells us.
Besides the ones already existing, ADV intends to open a new protected workshop, equipped as a result of its co-financing by the Local Council - The Directorate of Community Assistance Iasi. This new workshop will start functioning as soon as possible.
Even since now, with the financing of the Global Fund, a presentation and promotion catalogue for our products has been finished, for the promotion in the Popular Craftsmen Trade that took place in Iasi, between the 12th and the 14th of October. The success the creations of the HIV infected young people had are encouraging and represent a good start for a fulfilled and independent life.
Congratulations to ADV Foundation for the professional way it involves and approaches each project dedicated to social and professional insertion of the young people infected with HIV! The success of this type of interventions depends a lot on the involvement of the community, of the local authorities and even of the local business environment. The chance offered by the ADV Foundation in Iasi to the young people living with HIV must not be an isolated example but a starting point for other similar programs.
If you want to support the team of ADV Foundation and their noble mission, contact them at the following contact data:
Phone / Fax : 0232 - 275568, 0232 - 313214
Email : office@alaturidevoi.ro
The address of the legal seat: : Str. Vovideniei, nr. 10; Cod postal: 700079, Iasi
The address for community assistance centre: Bd. Chimiei nr. 12, Cod postal: 700293, Iasi
Read more about the projects of Alaturi de Voi Foundation on the site: www.alaturidevoi.ro.
Photo copyright: ADV
