One–year-old escapes life in an institution
The little boy was abandoned at birth and left in the hospital by his 23-year-old mother. Today he is lucky to be raised by his grandmother, Floarea who assumed responsibility and committed herself to raise him.
Alexandru and his grandmother live in a village in Cluj County, north-west Romania. The environment is poor, a former mining settlement, which became nearly cashless after the fall of communism, in the early 1990s. World Vision has provided Floarea with powdered milk and food supplies since Alexandru was two months old.
There is a history of abandonment in this family and World Vision counsels Floarea in order to prevent abandonment and sustain this relationship between the woman and her grandson, explained Maria Muzur, World Vision social worker.
“There is a history of abandonment in this family and World Vision counsels Floarea in order to prevent abandonment and sustain this relationship between the woman and her grandson,” explained Maria Muzur, World Vision social worker.
Floarea, 40, decided to put her life in order and settle old family debts by keeping the baby with her. It is a reparatory act as she felt guilty for abandoning her own daughter, Alexandru’s mother, 23 years ago. Floarea had been unmarried and only 17 when she gave birth to Florica.
“I didn’t know much at that time. I just feared that my mother won’t let me come back home with a child,” recalled Floarea of the moment she had to make her decision about keeping or leaving her daughter.
The baby’s father did not sustain her either. Floarea had seven siblings at home and another child would be seen as a burden by her family.
During the communist regime it was customary for Roma families with numerous children to abandon some of their children in the State’s institutions. Poverty and lack of education were among the high risk factors that led to the phenomena. Paradoxically many of the institutionalised children were not orphans. Many had at least one parent, even though the institutions were called ‘orphanages’.
Following the trend, Floarea’s daughter was abandoned at birth and entered the Child Protection system.
Once the Child Protection reform began at the end of the 1990s, the State reintegration policy was actioned and the girl was sent back to her natural family. By this time Floarea was a grown up woman, still unmarried, but much more willing to interact with and take care of her abandoned daughter.
“They sent me papers from the orphanages to take Florica home. I hadn’t seen her all those years. I tried to but they wouldn’t let me,” said Floarea.
Florica was committed to a special orphanage, with a hospitalised regime. She was born with a mental disability and has behavioural problems. From time to time she would experience a crisis and become extremely violent.
They sent me papers from the orphanages to take Florica home. I hadn’t seen her all those years. I tried to but they wouldn’t let me, said Floarea.
Children raised in these hospitalised orphanages used to be kept at a distance from their own families.
“In institutions like Jucu, in Cluj County, parents could only see their children from a distance. The personnel would show them the child at the window, not allowing physical contact. They were cautious so the children would not get any parasites from their relatives, such as scabies or lice. I do not blame the Roma parents for not seeing their children. It is not their fault. It might be the system’s failure,” said Maria Muzur, World Vision social worker.
Floarea is employed in Cluj city, 40 km from the village. She works for a company that cleans the streets and the parks of the city. She commuted to Cluj daily but now she is on maternity leave for one more year and stays at home with her grandson. Floarea was able to take maternity leave in her daughter’s name. Her daughter’s situation was classified as a 3rd grade handicap, which certified that she was not able to take care of her own child.
Floarea looks like she is at peace with herself for being able to end the cycle of abandonment, which started 23 years ago. Now she takes great care of Alexandru. He is officially in her care now.
Florica showed little interest in the baby from the time when she found out that she was pregnant. The paternity of the baby remained unknown for the grandmother.
“She was 6 months pregnant and I didn’t know a thing about that. Neither did she,” recalled Floarea. “I was having problems with the neighbours because Florica was violent from time to time. I didn’t know what to do with her and I didn’t notice anything else.”
“I took the baby from the maternity unit thinking she would come home and take care of it. But she didn’t change a single bit,” said Floarea.
From time to time the young woman would disappear from home for several days or weeks. She fled three months ago. She calls from time to time. Thus Floarea knows that she is ok.
World Vision’s social worker had helped Floarea to understand how to cope with her daughter’s violent outbursts. Working closely with a Child Protection representative, the social worker advised Floarea to always supervise the encounter between mother and child, as the mother was not responsible whenever her fits of violence began.
Most probably Florica needs hospitalised care and medication for her situation and the social worker informed her mother about the official papers that need to be completed.
Fortunately baby Alexandru’s future is in good hands now and he is lucky to be raised in this family, far away from the loneliness and despair of an institutionalised life.
Alexandru and his grandmother live in a village in Cluj County, north-west Romania. The environment is poor, a former mining settlement, which became nearly cashless after the fall of communism, in the early 1990s. World Vision has provided Floarea with powdered milk and food supplies since Alexandru was two months old.
There is a history of abandonment in this family and World Vision counsels Floarea in order to prevent abandonment and sustain this relationship between the woman and her grandson, explained Maria Muzur, World Vision social worker.
“There is a history of abandonment in this family and World Vision counsels Floarea in order to prevent abandonment and sustain this relationship between the woman and her grandson,” explained Maria Muzur, World Vision social worker.
Floarea, 40, decided to put her life in order and settle old family debts by keeping the baby with her. It is a reparatory act as she felt guilty for abandoning her own daughter, Alexandru’s mother, 23 years ago. Floarea had been unmarried and only 17 when she gave birth to Florica.
“I didn’t know much at that time. I just feared that my mother won’t let me come back home with a child,” recalled Floarea of the moment she had to make her decision about keeping or leaving her daughter.
The baby’s father did not sustain her either. Floarea had seven siblings at home and another child would be seen as a burden by her family.
During the communist regime it was customary for Roma families with numerous children to abandon some of their children in the State’s institutions. Poverty and lack of education were among the high risk factors that led to the phenomena. Paradoxically many of the institutionalised children were not orphans. Many had at least one parent, even though the institutions were called ‘orphanages’.
Following the trend, Floarea’s daughter was abandoned at birth and entered the Child Protection system.
Once the Child Protection reform began at the end of the 1990s, the State reintegration policy was actioned and the girl was sent back to her natural family. By this time Floarea was a grown up woman, still unmarried, but much more willing to interact with and take care of her abandoned daughter.
“They sent me papers from the orphanages to take Florica home. I hadn’t seen her all those years. I tried to but they wouldn’t let me,” said Floarea.
Florica was committed to a special orphanage, with a hospitalised regime. She was born with a mental disability and has behavioural problems. From time to time she would experience a crisis and become extremely violent.
They sent me papers from the orphanages to take Florica home. I hadn’t seen her all those years. I tried to but they wouldn’t let me, said Floarea.
Children raised in these hospitalised orphanages used to be kept at a distance from their own families.
“In institutions like Jucu, in Cluj County, parents could only see their children from a distance. The personnel would show them the child at the window, not allowing physical contact. They were cautious so the children would not get any parasites from their relatives, such as scabies or lice. I do not blame the Roma parents for not seeing their children. It is not their fault. It might be the system’s failure,” said Maria Muzur, World Vision social worker.
Floarea is employed in Cluj city, 40 km from the village. She works for a company that cleans the streets and the parks of the city. She commuted to Cluj daily but now she is on maternity leave for one more year and stays at home with her grandson. Floarea was able to take maternity leave in her daughter’s name. Her daughter’s situation was classified as a 3rd grade handicap, which certified that she was not able to take care of her own child.
Floarea looks like she is at peace with herself for being able to end the cycle of abandonment, which started 23 years ago. Now she takes great care of Alexandru. He is officially in her care now.
Florica showed little interest in the baby from the time when she found out that she was pregnant. The paternity of the baby remained unknown for the grandmother.
“She was 6 months pregnant and I didn’t know a thing about that. Neither did she,” recalled Floarea. “I was having problems with the neighbours because Florica was violent from time to time. I didn’t know what to do with her and I didn’t notice anything else.”
“I took the baby from the maternity unit thinking she would come home and take care of it. But she didn’t change a single bit,” said Floarea.
From time to time the young woman would disappear from home for several days or weeks. She fled three months ago. She calls from time to time. Thus Floarea knows that she is ok.
World Vision’s social worker had helped Floarea to understand how to cope with her daughter’s violent outbursts. Working closely with a Child Protection representative, the social worker advised Floarea to always supervise the encounter between mother and child, as the mother was not responsible whenever her fits of violence began.
Most probably Florica needs hospitalised care and medication for her situation and the social worker informed her mother about the official papers that need to be completed.
Fortunately baby Alexandru’s future is in good hands now and he is lucky to be raised in this family, far away from the loneliness and despair of an institutionalised life.
Share