IMPACT for children with disabilities deinstitutionalized

IMPACT Romania project, initiated in 2002 by Motivation Romania Foundation, aimed to transfer 22 severely disabled children from an institution in Ilfov County to three family-like homes and to provide support services to improve the quality of their lives.

With the help of the IMPACT Alliance, of two USAID-World Learning grants in 2002-2005 and with funds from international donors (including the European Commission, the Timken Foundation, Co-operating Netherlands Foundations, Vodafone Romania Foundation, United Way Romania, and others) the project led to:

• Transfer of 37 children with severe disabilities from Tâncăbești Placement Center to community settings (group homes, foster families, natural families);
• Creating a vocational workshop that provides our young adults learning opportunities and jobs in gardening, carpentry, pottery, decorative objects and painting;
• Access to mainstream and special education;
• Personalized physiotherapy program, medical services and mobility equipment, according to needs;
• Participation in Special Olympics events, social activities and summer camps;
• Training programs for childcare specialists working in placement centers, child protection departments and non-governmental organizations.