The church sponsors four Romanian children and endeavours to raise £12 for each child every month (£48).

The home which cares for the children we sponsor has responsibility for 408 children in total (197 boys and 211 girls) aged 4 to 18. The home is situated near Leova in southern Moldova in the district of Hincesti close to the city of Cahul. The town is ethnically mixed containing Moldovans, Russians and Bulgarians. The main employment in this area is agriculture. The city of Leova began when people from Transnistria came to set up households.

The children’s home was established in 1961. The home is made up of three square buildings. The exterior is in an unsatisfactory condition. In particular, the home’s roof is covered with pitch and the rain penetrates through it. There is mortar falling from the front of the home and some of its ceilings. The interior is a little damp and cold (6 degrees Celsius) and is generally considered unsatisfactory.

There are 38 dormitories in this children’s home. Some of the beds are in need of repair. In addition, the doors, windows and floor are all old, many are damaged by the damp. There is a shortage of bed linen and the temperatures are often very low.

The 21 classrooms are in need of repair. The doors and windows are old and need repainting. There is a lack of materials. The very cold and damp conditions make studying difficult.

The toilets are unsatisfactorily cold and wet. There are only two on each floor, and these do not always function due to lack of water and electricity. There are 9 showers in a separate building which are cold but clean. These, again, are deemed unsatisfactory. There are washrooms which are in a similarly bad condition.

The kitchen is satisfactory and has two old stoves. The floor is gritstone and the walls are covered with faience. The temperature is reasonable and there is no damp problem. There is a need for an electric water heater. The dining room has 40 tables and 230 chairs. The home needs more plates, cutlery and bowls. This room is damp but in quite good condition.

The laundry is in desperate need of replacing its worn out equipment. It needs a washing machine, drying machine and pressing irons.

The medical room contains 1 plank and a table, and electrophoresis apparatus. It has a few antibiotic medicines. There is an isolation room with 6 beds which is reasonable. There is a staff of one doctor and two nurses who care for the children. They do examinations twice a year. The common ailments are colds and gastritis. Anything more serious requires a trip to the local hospital in Leova.

The home has clubrooms with 3 televisions and 200 old chairs. However, there are no playrooms and there is a lack of play equipment. The children are taken on one trip each year to the circus at Chisinau. The children do have some sports contests, and music and dances are organised for them.

In general, the children are well accommodated here and the staff have a warm and parental attitude towards them.

If you feel that you could assist us in our sponsorship, especially by way of a regular covenant, but in any case by any donation, no matter how small, then please contact Romanian_Children@Old-Dalby.org.uk