30 - 06 - 2011 - Dutch volunteers vist Romanian care farm

From July 11 until July 18 a group of 14 Dutch volunteers will go on a trip to Romania, offering a helping hand at the care farm of the "Noi si Voi" foundation, in Găgeşti, Vaslui, Romania. "Noi si Voi" addresses the situation of mentally disabled people and psychiatrix patients, living in institutions in Romania.

The "Noi si Voi" foundation has both a Romanian and a Dutch department, and the secretariat is based in St.Nicolaasga, near Joure, the Netherlands. Their goal is to help children and young adults with an intellectual handicap, offering them a better life, providing good care and participation in social life, by giving them structured and meaningful jobs in small facilities, such as the care farm. The foundation has five ongoing projects in the province of Vaslui, Romania, including a goat keeping / care farm, a medical post, a proper tap water supply, and two facilities for living alternatives.

             

The church of Sintjohannesga (near Joure) was already engaged in the projects of "Noi si Voi", raising money for the charity. Besides money, the foundation could also use practical help with construction and other jobs that need to be done, and with organising activities for the residents. In 2010 the idea was born to send a group of young volunteers to Găgeşti (Vaslui), to offer a helping hand at the care farm, where goats and other small animals are kept. The living area, stables and workshop for woodworking need to be finished and new animal shelters have to be built. Besides the eight young people, three adults, including APH Group employee Geertje Holtrop, and three professionals - a carpenter, a mechanic and an electrician - will go along on this trip.

A number of businesses and individuals from the Joure area have offered to sponsor the journey, and successful fundraising activities were organized. All volunteers are looking forward to the working week and intend to get as much work done as possible.

(Dutch) website of the foundation: www.noisivoi.nl
(Romanian) website about Găgeşti