In 1990 the world was stunned by the pictures of the starving and freezing children in Romanian orphanages. Some were orphaned but the vast majority were abandoned by families who could not afford to care for them or too ashamed if their children were handicapped or disabled. Even though many have been adopted the number of abandoned children has in fact increased. In addition, the older orphans are released from the orphanage at the age of 18 and have to fend for themselves without the benefit of a place to live and work.

As part of our overall involvement in working with the children in Romania we cooperate with several orphanages and supply much needed clothes, toys, educational supplies in addition to hygene and medical needs. We started a sponsorship program in which we place the adult orphans in safe environments and initiated a scholarship program for impoverished children in rural areas who have no access to schools and have to abandon their education after eighth grade.