FSC's Quarterly Report
TO: RELIEF FUND FOR ROMANIA
BOARD REPORT
On the Charitable Activities of Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar January-March
2007
30.03.2007
ECONOMIC ASPECTS IN ROMANIA
The accession to EU has happened at 1st January 2007 being celebrated
in all the big cities. Many Romanians went abroad just using their
identity cards and it worked!
The news announced more job opportunities in Europe for Romanians
and 12,000 doctors already applied to work abroad. It is hard to
find a baby sitter or a personal carer as they all want to work
for big money abroad. This was expected and it will probably be
balanced in few years.
The EU grants will probably bring a lot of money for infrastructure,
industry and building will be a profitable business. The deficit
of the workforce in this field is already visible and some companies
seek for labor in Turkey, Moldova and China.
The rural population is fed up as they have to
learn about the new regulations and face a lot of restrictions in
selling their little products (milk, cheese, meat) in the markets.
The businesses have very strict deadlines in sorting up their problems
and meet the standards and many small enterprises will probably
close soon.
The Romanian villages are far away from being European and it will
take ages to see some differences.
Other topics
The latest public opinion barometer (BOP) carried out by IMAS Institute
and also made public yesterday, reveals that, were elections to
be organised next Sunday, the D.A. Alliance would get 39 per cent
of the votes, with PSD ranking second with 20 per cent. Third is
placed the New Generation Party (PNG), with Gigi Becali’s
party polling 18 per cent. As for Vadim Tudor’s Greater Romania
Party (PRM), it would be voted by 9 per cent of the electorate.
UDMR polled 6 per cent, and the Liberal Democratic Party –
4 per cent. The Conservative Party stands at 2 per cent, and the
National Initiative Party – 1 per cent. In terms of confidence
in politicians, Traian Basescu ranks first with 41 per cent. The
President is closely followed by Gigi Becali (39 per cent), and
third comes Theodor Stolojan (26 per cent). Mona Musca is fourth
with 24 per cent, the same as Mircea Geoana, while Premier Tariceanu
only won the confidence of 19 per cent of the Romanians.
According to a news release issued by IMAS for HotNews.ro, the
poll was carried out in March 10-16, 2007, and has a plus/minus
2.9 per cent error margin.
CSOP says Basescu is on downward trend
According to an opinion poll recently conducted, at PD’s
request, by the Centre for Opinion and Market Research (TNS-CSOP)
and later verified by the International Republican Institute (IRI),
the voters’ confidence in President Traian Basescu dropped
by 5 per cent in the last month, from 46 per cent to 41 per cent,
while voting intention reached 38 per cent.
According to the same survey, which wasn’t made public, but
its figures were quoted by the ‘Gardianul’ daily, voting
intention was thus distributed among political parties: PD –
29.9 per cent, PSD – 18.6 per cent, PNG – 16.2 per cent,
PNL – 10.4 per cent, PRM – 9 per cent, PLD – 7
per cent, UDMR – 6per cent. All other political groups proved
unable to overcome the election threshold.
(C) 2000-2005 Nine o'Clock,
GENERAL OVERVIEW ON FSC ACTIVITY AND
ITS ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY
The planning for the year 2007 includes continuation of all the
programmes, events and special activities aimed at raising awareness
on the needs and rights of the beneficiaries and FSC will carry
on its mission for helping the most disadvantaged.
On February 22nd we organized the 6th edition of Community
Awards Gala which included the Gala of the Volunteers (organized
the day before). Both events had a great impact in the community
attracting over 250 volunteers, parents, authorities and over 30
companies.
The Gala produced 17,000 GBP which are very helpful for the organization.
FSC is active in the national coalition of NGOs lobbying the Government
for the direct access of the organizations to the structural funds
and a series of successes have already been recorded.
FSC is also active in the national network of NGOs working in palliative
care coordinated by the Hospice Care Speranta from Brasov, in the
national network of NGOs that promote corporate social responsibility
coordinated by the Association for Community Relations from Cluj
and affiliated to FONPC (Federation with activity in child protection)
and ANBCC (National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaus). All
the network is useful as it makes FSC known nationally.
At the local level we raised the awareness on the need for a professional
approach on planning and development strategies in the field of
social protection. At the moment there is no local or regional strategy
and the budget is distributed based on historical approach. The
existence of a plan would enable the service providers (state and
private) to develop new activities or to close unnecessary projects.
The process of planning is complex, it requires partnership and
combined resources but the results will be helpful for all. Our
suggestion was taken on by the Agency for Local Development (of
Bacau City Council) and FSC is now co-coordinating this process.
COMMENTS ON THE PROJECTS AND RELEVANT
ISSUES DISCUSSED AT BOARD MEETINGS
We organised one board meeting, in January, and we discussed about
the Community Awards Gala and other ways for the members to help
with the fundraising. Unfortunately we didn’t get many new
ideas.
The only valuable feed-backs and ideas come from Florin Fanaru
who can be very inspirational. He was awarded by his company UPC
cable TV for his work with FSC (UPC is a long term sponsor) with
300 Euros which went to FSC.
The Financial Situation For 2007
The structural funds were not launched yet and the Phare is still
funding NGOs for work with mental disabilities and advocacy.
The local and county Councils announced their grants for the NGOs
which come with a lot of restrictions and conditioning (no more
than an application per organization, no more than a certain amount,
end of the grants by November, at least 10% of financial contribution,
NGOs are to spend from their money, report and then get to be reimbursed,
etc.).
The deadlines are middle of April which makes the funding period
of the year only for 6 months. This period and the amounts are forecasted
in our cash flow and if nothing changes, if they approve what we
request we should be all right for this year.
The issue with the Local authorities
After half of year of trying to have a meeting with the mayor we
finally managed to have one at the beginning of March. He asked
all his directors and deputies to be present and we had 2 local
councilors on our side.
The meeting was short with the mayor as he left us with the others
and returned to conclude.
The discussions were loud in his absence as the Director of the
Public Social Services explained how busy and overwhelmed they are
with so many problems and what a big heroine she was catching scabies
and head lice from the beneficiaries.
She added that they can do more with less money “not like
the NGOs” and they need the buildings that were given in the
past to the organizations. If you wanted to say something you had
to shout.
We discussed about:
· The Citizens Advice Bureau: we said we
wanted to close it as it was not satisfactory from the standards
point of view and partnership. They want to keep it and we requested
a signed protocol. We therefore re- applied to Phare for the continuation
and we discussed the possibility of moving it to our head office
during the refurbishment and building work at the existing location
(entrance of the City Hall).
· The two buildings given to us for projects: Casa Pistruiatul
and Day centre for the elderly. The official allocation document
expired last year and in spite of our repeated written requests
they failed to sort it out. The mayor promised to clarify the problem
by signing the documents. In his absence during the meeting the
negative Director said that they needed the locations and “couldn’t
possibly give them anymore to the NGOs”.
After the meeting we sent minutes to all the participants. The
general feeling was that in spite of the efficiency showed by the
mayor things will continue to drag on and be the same. A month later
we are still waiting for the official documents to do with the buildings.
Programmes and Personnel
After loosing 2 more people at Casa Pistruiatul (one left to work
for another NGO and one to work for a state centre for the children)
we decided that the postponed moment of salary adjustments had to
happen and beginning with March we added between 10-20 %. The levels
are now satisfactory but we have to make sure we repeat it after
one year. Even so, in spite of repeated adverts in local newspapers
for a social worker for Casa P. we couldn’t find one.
Many thanks to RFFR who agreed to support part of the additional
costs and cash flow deficit.
We performed staff evaluations and an assessment of the training
needs.
We identified low performances at several members of the care of
elderly programme and after individual discussions we agreed new
development plans and better supervision.
The atmosphere is good and vivid as we keep everybody informed
through monthly internal newsletters and involved on all our events
and campaigns.
The office area: we decided to go for an extension of the current
head office flat at the back of the block. This will enable us to
create two new work areas which will be better but not as good as
a house would have been.
Care of Elderly
Number of direct beneficiaries per reporting period: 430/month
Two of the nurses from the team underwent a long training in palliative
care by Hospice Care Brasov. They will specialize in terminal illnesses
while the others will carry on with the medical care for elderly.
All the nurses went on various training sessions as these are necessary
for their practice license.
The new hospital office is excellent and assures a very good work
area and information point for the beneficiaries.
The two teams of home carers from Podu Turcului and Racaciuni were
taken (in February) over by the County Direction for Social Care
on a programme with European funding where FSC is a partner. Unfortunately
due to delays in grant payments (well known to us) none of the staff
have been paid so far causing (understandably) problems and complaints.
As we felt responsible for them we assured a small financial help
(unbudgeted) hoping that at the end of this month they will eventually
cash some money.
The services in the day centre: we had several meetings with the
beneficiaries for listening to their needs, suggestions and ideas.
We discovered that some of them were unhappy because some beneficiaries
received a lot of help (food, detergents, etc.) and they didn’t.
We had to explain the criteria and we asked them to join the social
workers when they make the decisions on what people can receive.
We obtained a large donation of furniture and chairs from Dedeman
and we are going to replace the old and worn out furniture in the
centre.
Mobile Health Care Programme: Podu
Turcului area
Total number of direct beneficiaries per reporting period: 3,003
The financial restrictions made us to reduce the network of community
workers to 4 people (out of 10) and to cut the legal advisor of
the mobile citizens advice office. We kept the most needed and efficient
workers in: Stanisesti, Gaiceana, Tatarasti and Podu Turcului.
Thanks to a small grant from Rotary Llandrindod
we are able to open an educational centre in Panu-Slobozia (the
poorest village in our region). We will buy PC, TV and DVD, books,
games, materials and pay a local person to organize various activities
in the week-ends. The opening is right after Easter.
FSC will compile a study of Racaciuni community (the mayor already
paid for it) that will be used for development plans and funding
application. This is a good exercise for us as we believe that more
communities would want to contract such researches.
We tried to sell advertising in the newspaper of the area “Valea
Zeletinului” and unfortunately no company was interested and
our hopes to continue to print it are very low unless we find another
grant.
The minibus of the mobile pharmacy had to go into major repairs
in Iasi and we had to replace quite expensive parts due to warn
outs of the components. The bad roads are taking their toll on the
vehicle.
IMPART: COMBINED ART TECHNIQUES
Number of beneficiaries 66
The Impart team joined Mary Turner and 2 other Musika specialists
in a 2 weeks training session in Ungureni.
Several sessions of training were delivered in Comanesti, Bacau
and Bucharest generating 550 GBP contribution.
Mariana Diosteanu (qualified as psychologist) has added a lot of
value in the team and she is very valuable at Casa Pistruiatul too.
The Impreuna network
Together with Daniel Hristea from FAST we organized a second successful
seminar in Brasov. The network is becoming more and more defined
and we discover people that are really interested about this field.
A third seminar will be organized in Bucharest (for the organization
and people based in the south of the country) in April and another
one in the west (probably in Cluj).
In the meantime Daniel has worked on a new website and Cornelia
is almost ready to print another issue of the Impreuna magazine.
There are deadlines for reorganizing the database and phoning the
members.
Integrated services for child and
family
CASA PISTRUIATUL: reintegration of the homeless children & support
of the families
Total number of beneficiaries for the reported period: 58
Due to hyperactivity and behavior problems of the children only
6 months after the refurbishment the house looks as if it needs
new repairs and painting again.
We had to organize serious talks with the children about the repeated
breaks and hopefully with the spring weather they will be more outdoors.
In spite of the negotiations with the City Council/Public social
services to cover more costs they didn’t take it on due to
lack of funds. Also they motivated by saying that they can not make
expenses for the children coming from other than Bacau and since
only 10% fall into this category they have a reason.
After the meeting with the mayor we had a meeting with Mr.Brasoveanu
about Casa Pistruiatul and we discussed the situation with the City
Council and their statements on the building. They could admit in
their facilities some of the children but couldn’t possibly
help the street boys and the families nor be so flexible at admissions.
We decided to have a commune evaluation on the situation and then
have a meeting with the City Public Social Services.
In the meantime, we try to do our best to educate the children
as before and to offer them the love and attention that they need.
VOLUNTEERS PROGRAMME
Total number of volunteers: average of 120 active volunteers per
month
The Volunteers Gala on the 22nd February brought together over
300 people: volunteers-high school students, their parents, authorities,
NGOs. It was really a great satisfaction to be able to give certificates
and awards and to thank them for the entire contribution.
The volunteers of the year were invited to participate to the Community
Awards Gala. The event was pleasant and it was closed with a cocktail.
The sponsors, Vodafone and UPC, were there and were really impressed
by the whole thing.
The volunteers continue to be active in all our social programmes;
it is worth mentioning:
· the spring cleaning for the elderly;
· planting trees on a bold mountain
· the 2% campaign: they are out in the streets every day
to talk to people about this opportunity and to fill in forms
· the children’s week end
· they organize debates on various interesting topics
· they designed a new look of the newsletter of the volunteers
which is called “Among young”, printed in 2000 pieces
of which half is sold and therefore the money obtained for the following
issue.
· Easter campaign
· They helped writing two small funding applications
· They applied to participate to an international youth meeting
in UK
… and many more other activities and we are very proud of
them!
FUNDRAISING
The FR department has been extremely busy in the quarter having
to work on organizing the Volunteers Gala and the Community Awards
Gala, the 2% campaign, the Easter campaign and other public awareness
events.
Results of the Bacau Community Awards Gala were:
· 13 big sponsors and other 13 companies which contributed
to a good organization of the event
· 30.100 euro total collected money form which:
· 19.200 euro financial contributions of the sponsors
· approximate 7.450 euro collected from donations in the
hall for the sustaining of the packages of social services
· 210 participants to event
· 3.000 euro collected from auctions
· 450 euro from selling raffle tickets
After we covered the organizational expenses the net amount which
will remain in order to sustain the FSC’s projects will be
of approximate 21.500 euro.
Also we have various in kind offers which are so useful: 60 kg of
chicken meat/month from Agricola, food in value of 150 GBP/month
from Metro-Cash and Carry, furniture and chairs for the day centre
for the elderly and 2 educational centres in the villages from Dedeman,
clothes and sweets in value of 300GBP from Rehau, etc.
This year we had a new organizing committee that included a teacher,
a County Councilor (nice lady but politically involved), the Director
of the County Social Services and Catalin Dociu (who has been very
active in contributing to the FR department).
The 2% campaign was launched in force right after the Gala and
it looks well so far. The good thing is that this year the Government
renounced to request the fiscal form to be attached and the procedure
is a lot simpler.
We mobilized all our employees, volunteers and beneficiaries to
help and we already obtained about 1,000 forms (equal to the total
amount of forms at the end of last year campaign). The campaign
will end on the 15th May and we estimate to collect at least 3 times
more.
We have an internal competition (for the highest number of forms
obtained by an employee) the biggest prize is a nice LCD TV which
was donated to FSC by a generous raffle winner at the Gala. We have
other motivational prizes for volunteers and beneficiaries.
We managed to print our annual report and Vali Racila
made us a little presentation movie.
GRANTS IN USE
GBP
Total
Government grants Casa Pistruiatul and Care of Elderly L34 GBP 22,600
Racaciuni council-community worker GBP 6,000
Hope for the future, mobile pharmacy and family sponsorship 400
GBP/month
PROCHILD-French Government, Euro 10,000
Dutch Foundations for Home care-palliative care services Euro 70,000
FUNDING APPLICATIONS
SOURCE PROJECT Amount requested
PROCHILD-French Government, 9 months 2007 Education in rural areas
Euro 5,000-failed
USAID (World Learning) Impart and Impreuna Network USD 20,000-failed
CEE Trust (USA source) A model of volunteerism in the region USD
154,000 (for 2 years)-awaited
Phare Citizens Advice Office Euro-19,500 awaited
Global Fund for TB-through Romanian Angeal Appeal Prevention and
care in rural areas and homeless children, for 2 years Euro-195,000-awaited
World Bank Volunteers-summer school Euro 5,000-awaited
Vodafone Volunteers Euro 35,900 –awaited
City Council Care of the elderly GBP 21,000-awaited
County Council MHCP and Impart GBP 44,000-awaited
We feel we have to carry on this work in spite of the many difficulties,
there are many needs “out there” and the satisfaction
of being able to help is great (the Romanian villages and people
are so remote and poor compared with Greece for example –
we had a nice holiday there and we didn’t see many small or
poor looking houses).
We are so lucky to have RFFR as partners so, please convey our thanks
to all RFFR board members for all the support and trust.
With many thanks to Relief Fund Board,
For FSC Board,
Gabriela Achihai, President
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