The overcrowded orphanages were the result of the policies of Ceaucescu who thought that by encouraging women to have babies, it would strengthen the country. Instead, as a result of the dire economic conditions, the babies were abandoned to the under-resourced institutions, which effectively the government ignored.

Unfortunately children are still being abandoned, as people struggle to survive. It's not because the children have no families, or are unwanted, but simply the families do not have the financial means to support them. The parents think that because they cannot feed them, that the state will care for them instead. The reality is that these orphanages are desperate places where there is no love and little food. The children often become psychologically damaged from neglect and cruelty and unable to live a normal life when they grow up.

Romania also has more AIDS patients, than the rest of Europe put together. Worst affected is the Black Sea port of Costanta. Sailors visit the city, where prostitution is a big problem, often selling their blood to finance their lifestyle. Sadly it means that 90% of AIDS victims in Romania are children and the state hospitals struggle to keep up with the problem.

Ecce Homo ("Behold the man") is an evangelical Christian charity based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It helps poverty stricken families, orphans and street children who find themselves in desperate situations by providing for their physical, mental and spiritual needs through the provision of food, clothing and social assistance. It also co-ordinates the distribution of aid from Samaritan's Purse International within Romania (Food, clothing and medical equipment) together with gift-filled shoe boxes from Operation Christmas Child. One of our core aims is to help families stay united as they pass through times of trial as well as caring for those children who have already been abandoned. These aims are achieved through various different projects and are only possible with your help.

Who are our Sponsors?

Samaritans Purse is one of our main sponsors in the UK and kindly co-ordinates our Child and Family support project here.

If you wish to support either The Family Support Project or the Emergency Fund please contact Cath Lloyd-Hughes at:

Samaritan's Purse
PO BOX 732
Wrexham
LL13 9ZA
01978 367722
Email: clloydhughes@samaritans-purse.org.uk

Samaritans Purse is a registered charity
(No. 1001349)