"Effata" Day Center in Timisoara, a Chance of Normality for Young People Living with HIV/AIDS
Day Care Centre "Effata" Timisoara: an opportunity of normality for HIV infected youngsters
For sure, we all do remember the 90', when the news broadcasted by media were about hundreds and even thousands of HIV infected children. About the desperate situation that many of them were facing, being forced to fight with a disease considered with no cure and whose ruthlessly monstrosity couldn't even understand.
At that time the HIV/AIDS was daily reaping out lives, despite the efforts that had been done by the physicians and nurses.It is just that the clinical researches' progress, the combinations more and more performing of antiretroviral and quality medical care had allowed to most of these children a longer life.
We saw them then growing near us and becoming teenagers…as any other teenager: with dreams, ideals, anxieties and looking for answers...Though, until the end of the 90' these children and youngsters had been isolated by the society, exiled from schools and even neglected by their families.
Those who were living at that time in the west side of the country did not have access to any specialized service dedicated to them, except for the medical assistance provided by the "Victor Babes" and "Louis Turcanu" hospitals in Timisoara.
That is why the activities proposed by SCOP Foundation in Timisoara, educative, cognitive simulation, entertainment or art therapy, had been considered more than welcome.In 2001, again due to SCOP initiative, there had been opened the doors of the first Day Care Centre, hosted in the "Victor Babes" Hospital.
Having the name "Effata", the centre started its activity with only 11 beneficiaries. With the time the number increased. So far 80 youngsters and children had enjoyed the services provided within the centre, either daily or periodically, during their stay in the "Victor Babes" Hospital.The parents and tutors of these children and youngsters considered and appreciated the initiative as being " extremely useful, offering children the opportunity to recover school education, personal security and medical insurance during their stay in the centre ".
The SCOP Foundation team, who is permanently preoccupied by the life quality of these youngsters - most of them being already 18 years old - had tried every time to respond to their beneficiaries' requests and needs that are in a continuous change and diversity:
- Services of psycho pedagogical support for graduating the pre-university and university studies for the beneficiaries according to their requests;
- Programs for developing independent life skills, whose purpose is the social and family integration;
- Programs of protected workshops type with the purpose of professional integration and ensuring a job.
The programs financed by Global Fund with the 6th Round through Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation offered an additional opportunity for these youngsters. In this way, with the help of the available funds, SCOP developed or set up a serial of services tailored to the current needs of the youngsters living with HIV/AIDS.
One of the launched workshops, the tailor's - attended by 10 youngsters - registered a huge success.What youngster does not like to be trendy? And when you can actually tailor your own clothes and accessories, the satisfaction is bigger. Their products - being very competitive - had been sold within the Christmas and Trinket Fair.The money obtained this way strengthened the belief of these youngsters that the activity carried out within the workshop is pleasant and useful.
On the other hand it was an opportunity for them to organize the desired and expected visit to Budapest. The dream came true inspired them with the dire to continue even to vary their activities, offering them an extra motivation.
Choosing the profession and implicitly a way in life it is a hard decision for any other youngster. Even more difficult for youngsters living with HIV when choosing a job is partially conditioned by the limits set by the disease.
Another generous program carried out by SCOP within the 6th Round is "Education for life", which has as a purpose developing skills for an independent and health life. This program consists in vocational counseling, 10 youngsters had been participating so far to over 20 training sessions.
Developed within an informal environment - Day Care Centre - the meetings could approach a series of delicate topics: how to find a job, how to write a more persuasive CV and a letter of intent, how to prepare for and prepare to a job interview, etc.And the topics don't stop here.Due to their youth and their life enters in normality, other topics had also been approached: sexuality and sexual transmitted diseases, family planning, time and budget management, efficient communication and conflict, abuse and substances use etc.
Even if at the beginning of this program the youngsters showed a resistance towards the topics discussed, during the meetings, their interest increased due to the methods used within the sessions which encouraged the interactivity and youngsters' direct interventions in the carried out discussions and activities.
For sure, the SCOP team and its beneficiaries will move together further and find and approach newer and newer information and education topics, as new methods of approach.And we will be near them in order to register and tell you the results of their work.
It is remarkable the constructive way that SCOP succeeded to attract, involve and motivate HIV infected youngsters in activities on a better future, both for them, as persons and for all of us, as a community.We have to mention that SCOP was not the only one in this initiative: collaborators and partners had been near them:
- The "Victor Babes" Clinic Infectious Diseases Hospital;
- "Louis Turcanu" Emergency Pediatrics Hospital;
- The General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child's Protection - Timis;
- "Speranta in Viitor" HIV/AIDS Communitarian Centre;
- "Dumitru Ciumageanu" Elementary School (I-VIII grades);
- No.11 Elementary School (I-VIII grades) - Timisoara;
- The Society of Medicine Students.It would be likely a higher involvement of the local authorities for sustaining this type of activities and their development out of the local financial resources.
We hope that the good results obtained will be a motivation for the Local Council and its representatives to participate and to help the development of such projects.
Photos that reflect the activities carried out by SCOP Foundation through the Day Care Centre "Effata" can be accessed on section "Photo Album".
Till then, if you want to find further information or contribute to supporting the activities of the SCOP Foundation, you can contact the Foundation at: Prof. Speranta Hepcal, Coordinator Centre, Tel/fax: 0256/294403, e-mail: effataro@yahoo.com, mobile: 0724588230.
Stated by: Dr. Mihaela Stefanescu, Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation.
