APPLICANT

CASA SAN GIUSEPPE – CONGREGATION OF THE SISTERS OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

STR. STEJANFUL – ODORHEIU SECUIESC – HARGHITA – ROMANIA

For around 20 years, Casa San Giuseppe has welcomed children from all over Romania who face social hardship, are orphaned, or live in extreme poverty. In addition to providing food, accommodation, and care, it supports their education until adulthood. Alongside the approximately 170 children and young people aged 2 to 18 living at the home, it currently supports around 60 former residents studying at Romanian universities, securing scholarships and paying for their student accommodation. Some have already graduated.

Casa San Giuseppe is a private institution established through the determination of Mother Ionela, who recently passed away. As a private institution, it receives no government funding and relies entirely on the generosity of its benefactors and Divine Providence.

PROJECT TITLE

ENGLISH & FIT

A project promoting advanced English-language learning and sports participation among young people.

PROJECT BENEFICIARIES

The project benefits children aged 6 to 18 living at CASA SAN GIUSEPPE, as well as children and young people who visit the home for study, recreation, or sports camps. Every resident has a unique story: some have lost both parents or one parent; others have been abandoned by families unable to support them. Some were forced to work as shepherds at a very young age, witnessed their parents commit unspeakable crimes, or were left behind when their parents went abroad in search of a better life. Relatives or parish priests from their home villages often bring them to Casa San Giuseppe. Some families have left all their children there. Nevertheless, the aim is to preserve ties with their families of origin unless circumstances are particularly serious. During the summer school holidays, many residents therefore spend varying lengths of time with their families.

These children’s extremely poor and disadvantaged backgrounds result in very low educational attainment and, in particular, a lack of opportunities to take part in sports.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The ENGLISH & FIT project reflects Fondazione Irma Romagnoli’s commitment to continuing its support for Sister Emilia, who runs the home, by giving children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds access to English lessons that supplement their schoolwork, swimming lessons, and winter sports weekends.

Over 25 years, around 600 children have had the opportunity to grow up in a safe, dignified environment, study, and become citizens of the world, with the same opportunities as their peers in more prosperous countries. In addition to its 170 residents aged 2 to 18, Casa San Giuseppe currently supports around 60 university students who will become teachers, doctors, or accountants.
The aim now is to provide further opportunities through English courses that improve pronunciation and comprehension, preparing students for language tests required for admission to courses abroad or Erasmus placements. Sports sessions and weekends will also be organized to improve athletic skills while providing opportunities to socialize and have fun.

PROJECT AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The ENGLISH & FIT project aims to help Casa San Giuseppe provide the following activities on a weekly basis:
– English lessons with native-speaking teachers
– Swimming lessons at the municipal pool in Odorhei
– Winter sports weekends accompanied by teacher Stefan Nut

The project aims to:
– Cover the cost of a teacher visiting Casa San Giuseppe to provide weekly English lessons in writing, reading, and speaking, with students grouped by ability
– Cover pool admission costs for swimming lessons
– Cover travel, meal, and accommodation costs for winter sports weekends organized by teacher Stefan Nut from January to April 2024.

PROJECT TIMELINE, IMPLEMENTATION, AND LOCATION

The project will begin in January 2024 and run for 12 months, at a total cost of €10,000. This includes teaching fees and educational materials, pool admission and swimming instruction, and meals, accommodation, and travel for sports weekends away from the home.

The Foundation intends to fund this project for three years.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND BENEFITS 

The expected outcomes and benefits concern opportunities for children and adolescents to broaden their knowledge and cultural horizons, facilitating their integration into schools and universities. This will give them invaluable support in interacting with their European peers and equal opportunities for future success. Let us not forget that Romania still has a 40% illiteracy rate!

PROJECT COST 

The estimated annual cost of the project is approximately €10,000 and includes:

• Organizing workshops and paying qualified instructors: multimedia workshops to learn and improve computer skills using the equipment in a dedicated classroom at the home were organized from September 2021 to August 2022. Grouped by school age, participants attend three days a week for an hour and a half, for a total of 180 hours.
  Total cost: €2,500.00
• Organizing sports or cultural camps, including meals and accommodation: sports days and camps are held throughout the year, with snow activities in winter and swimming in summer. A physical education teacher accompanies the children to ski resorts at weekends, taking a different group each week. The estimated cost covers transport, meals, accommodation, and skiing lessons for a total of 10 weekends.
  Total cost: €3,000.00
  During the summer, groups of children are taken to the swimming pool for swimming and water-confidence lessons, totaling 80 hours.
  Total cost: €1,000.00
• Organizing summer stays, including meals, accommodation, and recreational activities. These are primarily intended for children and young people aged 6 to 18 from poor or disadvantaged families throughout Romania, who spend a week at Casa San Giuseppe. Games and recreational activities are organized to give them moments of peace and joy.
  Total cost for 8 weeks, with around 30 participants per week: €3,500.00

Good evening, we love you all very much! Thank you so much for everything you do for our children. We have started the English lessons, and the children are very happy. We send you our hugs and keep you in our prayers.
With much affection and love, Sister Emilia and all the children.

We bought this smart screen with the money you sent.
It is extremely useful for the children.