Adina Stiftelsen Foundation celebrates 20 years of activity, helping the most vulnerable children and youngsters in Dolj County

This year marks an important milestone for Adina Stiftelsen Foundation as we celebrate 20 years of activity in Romania. Through a holistic approach, our non-governmental organization provides constant educational support to vulnerable children from poor families from Șimnicu de Sus, Goiești and Fărcaș communes.

Our journey and the outstanding success of the non-formal integrated educational programs would not have been possible without the support of Adina Stiftelsen Norway, local institutions, partners, and volunteers. It is only through their commitment, perseverance, and desire to do good, that we stand here today, ready to face the next 20 years.

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A special event that welcomed national and international guests

On the 19th of September, Adina Home and our team hosted an event celebrating 20 years of activity in Romania. Adina Stiftelsen Foundation had a profound impact on both beneficiaries and communities, and we wanted to use this opportunity to acknowledge our accomplishments, and our gratitude to donors, supporters, and volunteers while reaffirming our commitment to quality and innovative social and educational services.

picture 2 20 years celebration

More than 120 guests graced us with their presence, and for one day, our operational and educational activity center, Adina Home, became a buzzing hub of people united for the wellbeing and development of children in vulnerable communities. Luminita Dinca, Manager Adina Stiftelsen Romania, Ove Hausgdal, President Adina Stiftelsen Romania, and Kenneth Nielsen President Adina Stiftelsen Norway shared a few words about our journey from a small organization offering financial and emotional support to 30 children from poor families, to a fully functional operation providing integrative and holistic support to 300 children and youth on regular bases.

Reprezentați ai instituțiilor locale precum Primăria Șimnicu de Sus, Primăria Goiești, Primăria Fărcaș, Școala Generală Șimnicu de Sus, Școala Generală Goiesti, Direcția Generală de Asistentă Socială și Protecția Copilului Dolj și Colegiul Asistenților Sociali – Sucursala Dolj, au fost câțiva dintre musafirii noștri. De asemenea, am avut plăcerea de a-i avea alături pe partenerii și susținătorii noștri locali Cummins Generators Technologies România, Expert Accounting, Fundația Autonom, Centrul Internațional pentru educație Tg-Jiu, Pion Media, Promat Craiova, Asociația Manufactura Roxanei, și Gamit Web Services. Postul național de televiziune TVR Craiova a fost de asemenea prezent la eveniment pentru a surprinde activitățile dar și părerile invitaților și beneficiarilor.

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We were happy to welcome representatives from our international collaborators, Kirpal Dhadda, CEO Home-Start Worldwide, Jacqueline Barnes, Trustee Home-Start Worldwide, Kenneth Nielsen, President Adina Stiftelsen Norway, Hege Skansen, Board member Adina Stiftelsen Norway, and Vidar Haugland, General Manager Adina Stiftelsen Norway.

This amazing event could not have been complete without our determined and relentless Romania board members, the hardworking and dedicated team members, and our most important asset, the fantastic volunteers. These share their time and a piece of their soul with our beneficiaries.

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The beginning of Adina Stiftelsen Humanitarian Foundation

“During these 20 years, A lot of things have happened in Romania and also in Adina Foundation.” said Ove Hausgdal, in his welcoming speech. In 2003, Ove Hausgdal visited Romania and met children with infectious diseases like TBC or HIV from poor families. He was deeply moved not only because of the health challenges that these children were facing but also because of their family and cultural background. The need for both financial and emotional support was evident, and it was by his personal determination and desire to help that Adina Stiftelsen Romania came to be.

Initially, the goal was to offer financial and material support to children from poor families. However, as children grew, their necessities changed. Ove perfectly synthesized this development in his address. “Symptomatic for many of them were that they did not find interest in- or motivation to complete their education. We saw that a lot of children dropped out of school early and as grown ups they faced the situation that they lacked basic education.”

This marked a turning point for the foundation’s main objectives. It was now obvious that education, facilitating access to educational activities, and promoting personal development was the new target. “Education and raising awareness became key words. It all started with «Afterschool activities» for children at various schools here in this area……. The results came quickly. After a few years the drop out-rate from school came down to zero.” said Ove in his speech.

Commitment to child education and wellbeing

Today, we still hold true to the same objective: to promote and offer education in the best interest of children’s wellbeing and growth, or as Luminita Dinca said: “Today, we are implementing 7 socio-educational programs which are part of an innovative interventional concept “From kindergarten to independent adults”.

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  • The Home Start Program

    supports vulnerable families with at least one preschool-aged child. Once a week, our professionally trained volunteers visit families, offering emotional assistance to both parents and children, strengthening family bonds, and preventing problems that could negatively impact children’s development.

  • Open Kindergarten Program

    encourages the dialogue between parents and children through weekly activities that take place in the local kindergartens of Șimnicu de Sus and Goiești communes under the supervision of a specialized educator.

  • The Afterschool Program

    is organized in the local schools of Șimnicu de Sus and Goiești communes. Children with poor family backgrounds, from grades I-IV, receive educational support, participate in extracurricular activities, and develop their social skills while working with a professional teacher.

  • Adina Home Program

    was designed for children from grades V-VIII, and follows the same concept as the afterschool program. The activities carried out involve creative workshops, enhancing cultural identity, personal development, and improving digital skills.

  • The Educational Program

    offers financial support for 30 children and young people from vulnerable families. This support is meant to help them continue their studies.

  • V13 Program

    consists of workshops meant to build youngsters’ ability to face life’s challenges while offering them the opportunity to gain new abilities and competencies, improve communication skills, and ultimately, build trust in themselves.

  • The EMPO Program

    supports increasing the active participation of women over the age of 16 by providing occupational training as well as workshops aimed at empowering and developing the attitudes and skills needed as parents and active members of the community.

This extensive and comprehensive portfolio of services follows an integrative and holistic approach to building children’s and youngsters’ self-esteem and giving them the necessary tools and competencies to break social barriers and overcome challenges.

George Bernard Shaw said that those who can do things, do them. Those who cannot, teach others how to do them. Adina Stiftelsen este unul dintre partenerii care pot să facă lucruri, au demostrat că pot să le facă și cu siguranță ne vom baza în continuare pe ceea ce ei reușesc să facă aici. Sunt diferite activități pe care le recomandăm copiilor dar când vine vorba de Adina Stiftelsen pot să spun că este aproape obligatoriu pentru un copil să treaca prin programele lor” a spus Florin Stancu , Directorul Direcției Generale de Asistență Socială și Protecția Copilului Dolj.

Bringing joy to children. The impact of our socio-educational programs on children and communities

It is vital to remember that, above all else, our programs are about children, their hopes, dreams, and happiness. Each and every one of our beneficiaries comes to these activities willingly because it gives them joy, security, emotional support, and it is, most importantly, lots of fun.

It is vital to remember that, above all else, our programs are about children, their hopes, dreams, and happiness. Each and every one of our beneficiaries comes to these activities willingly because it gives them joy, security, emotional support, and it is, most importantly, lots of fun.

We are like a family here, brothers and sisters. The ladies here are like a second mother to us; we like to discuss our problems at home with them,” said Luca, 12 years old, sharing with TVR what it means for him to come to Adina Home.

“I like the activities here, and I like spending time with the other children” said 13 years old Ana Maria in the same interview for National Romanian Television.

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The 20th-anniversary event was filled with happiness and joy. However, it was also an opportunity to acknowledge the social and economic problems that many of the rural communities in Romania still face. Beyond the financial difficulties, children from these areas also experience vulnerable family backgrounds, lack of emotional support, poor self-esteem, scarcity of opportunities for educational growth, and lack of motivation.

Kenneth Nielsen, President of Adina Stiftelsen Norway addressed this problematic situation and the effects on children’s wellbeing, in his speech: “Over the past two decades, we have witnessed the transformative power of charitable work…… We know that poverty doesn’t just affect one individual; it ripples through families and neighborhoods. But through our efforts, we have seen children overcome these barriers, thrive, and inspire others in return.”

We are proud of our socio-educational programs and the extraordinary impact they have had on the development of children. Additionally, they have contributed to strengthening the community and raising awareness about the importance of education. As you can see from the 2023 annual report, the results of our work are not only about the children but also about empowering the communities.

  • – 7 socio-educational programs
  • – 699 people
  • – 308 children
  • – 2 schools
  • – 3 communities
  • – 644 activities
  • – 100 volunteers
  • – 2104 volunteering hours
  • – 0% school dropout rate

The volunteers – Extraordinary people coming together in the name of charity

“Beyond the numbers and statistics that are available in the annual report, or on our website, Adina Stiftelsen Foundation is about people….Over 300 extraordinary people have understood this calling, choosing to be our volunteers and without whom it would be impossible for us to function” said Luminita Dinca in her welcoming speech.

The support of our volunteers is invaluable. Our achievements are also their achievements, and our beneficiaries’ success is also their success. Therefore, celebrating 20 years of activity for Adina Stiftelsen Foundation was also about honoring the wonderful people who strive for a better world, generously sharing their time, knowledge, and a tiny part of their souls with us and the children.

Ove Hausgdal and Kenneth Nielsen also acknowledged the work of our volunteers, thanking them in their speeches. “At its core, charity embodies our collective humanity—a shared commitment to lifting one another. Every donation, every hour spent volunteering, represents hope and the belief that change is possible…. Your selfless dedication, countless hours, and unwavering passion have made all the difference in the lives of so many children.” said Kenneth Nielsen.

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The Adina Stiftelsen Foundation’s pledge for the future

There have been 2 days of celebration in Adina Home, a place where people with big hearts come together, united in their one goal of helping children and communities. We shared our joy with local partners, international collaborators, sponsors, volunteers, and last but not least, our beneficiaries, the ones that motivate us and fill our hearts with unmeasurable joy because their success and accomplishments are our biggest pride.

This event of celebrating 20 years of activity in Romania, was not only a testament of the impact our educational activities had on children in poor rural communities in Dolj County, but also an opportunity to reaffirm our support and our determination to help these children rise above poverty and overcome barriers through education.

You can also help these children on their path of becoming educated, independent adults. As Kenneth Nielsen said “When we invest in the lives of children, we invest in a brighter future for our communities and the world”.

Be our supporter and let’s change the future of these children today!

August events

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