Cristina is the group leader of the Romanian team. She is also working in the Esperando association. Cristina tell us something about your organization.
Esperando Association appeared in 2001, from desperation. A few parents of children with disabilities and a physical therapist who was working with their kids decided to offer them the chance to work every day for their recovery, education and integration.
And that is how Esperando was born.
In the autumn of 2001, we had our first project which envisaged the setup of the first day recovery center for people with disabilities. The project was approved and financed by the National Authority for Disabled People. And that is how the activities have started.
In 2002 we won a grant from the Princess Margarita of Romania Foundation, to develop the organization. So we have passefd from mere enthuziasm to professionalism.
Without financing from the authorities, without foreign support, we have had some rough times. We have boroughed money, we have cut costs, we have looked for alternative solutions.
Since then, we had many work days, projects, tough or beautiful days. We have found that the world has other priorities, that the authorities have to learn a lot, too, before they come close to thosse in developed countries, that it's hard to find professsionals with soul.
It was very hard! Why should we lie?
Specialists coming (and it was difficult to find them, too!) and going. The ones who stayed are the ones who have a big heart, the ones trully good, the ones who respect their job, the ones who really love children and wanted to be better. As human beings and as professionals.
God always made sure we would find a way to move on. So, we are still here, we develop each year, we add something new each day and we are doing more and more good things for people with disabilities/ special needs.
In fact, this is what makes us different: as an association formed by parents, by the families and the people who suffer from disabilities (who are in fact part of the Board of Directors and, according to our status, the President of the board can be only a parent), we exist for people who suffer from disabilities. Not for the money. Not for the fame.
We are here only to make sure that people with disabilities/ special needs can have a simple life, with dreams and love.
And this is exactly what we give them, every day! Hard, easy, with or without grants, no matter how difficult it is.
We have now also connections with the world, with schools, with partners from the city, from Romania and from Europe. We even have five persons with disabilities employed with Esperando, some of them former clients...
We are here for them for as long as they need us!