Former abandoned child now has a family
She says that life there was very hard, as the older girls there used to beat her and force her to beg on the streets for them. But this was not the hardest part for her. The hardest part was when Mariana saw some of the other “orphaned” children occasionally go on trips with their parents, while nobody ever came for her.
After Mariana left the orphanage, she went to a Vocational School in Caransebes, a city in southwestern Romania, and then returned to Bucharest where she lived in the basement of an apartment building and worked as a maid for the tenants.
She met Alexandru four years ago and fell in love with him right away. He moved in with her in the basement, where they lived until the birth of their daughter, Alexandra, on 20 November 2006. Alexandra is a beautiful little girl. She has big, curious, brown eyes and dark hair. Although she is only just over a year old, she likes music and she likes to dance.
Mariana and Alexandru say they were very happy to find out they were going to have a baby, although they had no place to stay. Their neighbors supported them during the pregnancy, but the basement was not a place to raise a baby.
Mariana confesses that after she gave birth to Alexandra, out of desperation she considered leaving her in the maternity ward, but Alexandru didn’t let her. Fortunately, she ran into a social worker from World Vision who told her about the Maternal Shelter in Bucharest.
Mariana confesses that after she gave birth to Alexandra, out of desperation she considered leaving her in the maternity ward, but Alexandru didn’t let her. Fortunately, she ran into a social worker from World Vision who told her about the Maternal Shelter in Bucharest. So, Mariana and Alexandra went to stay there, while Alexandru remained in the basement.
“The Maternal Shelter offered me a lot of things. Besides a roof over my daughter’s head, it offered her milk, pampers and medication. But most importantly, the girls there encouraged me to act for Alexandra’s well being,” says Mariana.
Mariana admits that she didn’t want to leave the Maternal Shelter, although it was hard for her to stay apart from Alexandru. At the Maternal Shelter she had food and her baby was taken care of. Besides, she didn’t think she was ready to face the world outside the Shelter again. “But the girls pushed me to find a job and a decent place to stay, so I ended up here,” concluded Mariana, pointing to the room she is currently living in with Alexandru and Alexandra.
The family has been living in Voluntari County just outside Bucharest for the last four months, ever since Mariana and the baby left the Maternal Shelter. They are renting a room, which very small and has only a bed, wardrobe and TV. They share a bathroom and kitchen with four other families living in the same yard. But the room is full of toys, as the parents spend everything they earn on their little girl.
Now, Mariana says she wouldn’t leave her daughter for anything in the world, and she cannot believe she even considered that option.
The Maternal Shelter offered me a lot of things. Besides a roof over my daughter’s head, it offered her milk, pampers and medication. But most importantly, the girls there encouraged me to act for Alexandra’s well being.
“Everything we do is focused on our daughter. I wish for her to have everything I lacked as a child, starting with a real family. I want for her to go to school and to come home and run into my arms and say \'I’ve got a 10 (the equivalent of an “A”).\' Oh, and I wish for her to call me mummy,” says Mariana.
The couple decided that Alexandru will stay home with Alexandra, while Mariana worked because she earns more than him. While he barely earned 150 EURO, she receives 350 EURO working at a water-bottling factory. They spend 100 EURO on rent and use most of the remaining money on clothes, food, medication and toys for Alexandra.
“I am very proud of her because she decided to keep this baby, even though she was desperate. This baby gave her a reason to fight for a better life and I think things will be all right for all of them,” says Mariana Arnautu, coordinator of World Vision’s Children of Romania Project.
Child abandonment is a very serious problem in Romania. According to 2005 UNICEF study, 4,000 children were abandoned in medical wards in 2004.
After Mariana left the orphanage, she went to a Vocational School in Caransebes, a city in southwestern Romania, and then returned to Bucharest where she lived in the basement of an apartment building and worked as a maid for the tenants.
She met Alexandru four years ago and fell in love with him right away. He moved in with her in the basement, where they lived until the birth of their daughter, Alexandra, on 20 November 2006. Alexandra is a beautiful little girl. She has big, curious, brown eyes and dark hair. Although she is only just over a year old, she likes music and she likes to dance.
Mariana and Alexandru say they were very happy to find out they were going to have a baby, although they had no place to stay. Their neighbors supported them during the pregnancy, but the basement was not a place to raise a baby.
Mariana confesses that after she gave birth to Alexandra, out of desperation she considered leaving her in the maternity ward, but Alexandru didn’t let her. Fortunately, she ran into a social worker from World Vision who told her about the Maternal Shelter in Bucharest.
Mariana confesses that after she gave birth to Alexandra, out of desperation she considered leaving her in the maternity ward, but Alexandru didn’t let her. Fortunately, she ran into a social worker from World Vision who told her about the Maternal Shelter in Bucharest. So, Mariana and Alexandra went to stay there, while Alexandru remained in the basement.
“The Maternal Shelter offered me a lot of things. Besides a roof over my daughter’s head, it offered her milk, pampers and medication. But most importantly, the girls there encouraged me to act for Alexandra’s well being,” says Mariana.
Mariana admits that she didn’t want to leave the Maternal Shelter, although it was hard for her to stay apart from Alexandru. At the Maternal Shelter she had food and her baby was taken care of. Besides, she didn’t think she was ready to face the world outside the Shelter again. “But the girls pushed me to find a job and a decent place to stay, so I ended up here,” concluded Mariana, pointing to the room she is currently living in with Alexandru and Alexandra.
The family has been living in Voluntari County just outside Bucharest for the last four months, ever since Mariana and the baby left the Maternal Shelter. They are renting a room, which very small and has only a bed, wardrobe and TV. They share a bathroom and kitchen with four other families living in the same yard. But the room is full of toys, as the parents spend everything they earn on their little girl.
Now, Mariana says she wouldn’t leave her daughter for anything in the world, and she cannot believe she even considered that option.
The Maternal Shelter offered me a lot of things. Besides a roof over my daughter’s head, it offered her milk, pampers and medication. But most importantly, the girls there encouraged me to act for Alexandra’s well being.
“Everything we do is focused on our daughter. I wish for her to have everything I lacked as a child, starting with a real family. I want for her to go to school and to come home and run into my arms and say \'I’ve got a 10 (the equivalent of an “A”).\' Oh, and I wish for her to call me mummy,” says Mariana.
The couple decided that Alexandru will stay home with Alexandra, while Mariana worked because she earns more than him. While he barely earned 150 EURO, she receives 350 EURO working at a water-bottling factory. They spend 100 EURO on rent and use most of the remaining money on clothes, food, medication and toys for Alexandra.
“I am very proud of her because she decided to keep this baby, even though she was desperate. This baby gave her a reason to fight for a better life and I think things will be all right for all of them,” says Mariana Arnautu, coordinator of World Vision’s Children of Romania Project.
Child abandonment is a very serious problem in Romania. According to 2005 UNICEF study, 4,000 children were abandoned in medical wards in 2004.
Share