Empowering women leaders in India

 

Cooperative exercises

In November 2011, AMURTEL Romania’s president and executive director travelled to India to offer project management training during a 10 day capacity building program for women  missionaries “Expanding our Potentials”. The training was designed for workers of Women’s Welfare Organization India, who hosted the event in Jharsugudha, Orissa. It was the result of two years of planning with our partners from Women’s Welfare and Development Jamaica.   Didi A. Ragamaya from WWD Jamaica opened the event with a two day module “Pioneering Women Leaders”, that included cooperative teambuilding exercises, visioning exercises, communication skills training and more.

 

Problem tree analysis on the floor!
community mapping
Iulia Halangescu teaching in a sari

Didi A. Devapriya and Iulia Halangescu continued with the Project Proposal Writing segment. The 16 participants were highly motivated, and were able to both absorb and apply the information immediately – step by step constructing a viable project proposal. The skills that they learned included problem tree analysis, community mapping, project cycle management, budgeting, reporting, grant writing, monitoring and evaluating.  As a result of the training, three original project proposals were written by the participants.

Iulia Halangescu perfecting Sahajasana

The 10 day training concluded with 4 days of yoga teacher training, led by Didi A.Ragamaya,  in which the participants deepened their understanding of anatomy, teaching methodology, and improved their technique in performing yoga asanas.

The entire experience was a rewarding, memorable event that strengthened and empowered each of the participants with increased skills, confidence and sisterhood.

 

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Capacity Building, News, Training | Comments Off

Fountain of Hope’s growing numbers of children

The Fountain of Hope After-school Center in Panatau opened its doors for its 5th school year this October.  This year has seen a dramatic increase in the number of children applying to attend and receive a free hot meal, homework help and extracurricular activities. While last year the number of beneficiaries had grown from 22-25, this year it has increased to a total of 41 children! This increase reflects both the severity of the impact of the economic crisis in this rural village, as well as the increasing popularity of the center amongst the children. When the project first began, some of the children were teased by their collegues and felt ashamed about going to the center. However, the annual Open Day programs that invite all  of the children from the local school to watch a short video starring the  Fountain of Hope children seems to have helped shift this view – to the point where, if space allowed it, all 200 of the children from the school would want to attend the program.

Another event that increased  community involvement was a summer volunteer program Club “TIP” (the Clever Kids of Panatau Club) in which local teenagers collectively sculpted and painted mural on the walls of the study room.
Club TIP – photo album
In addition, the community has had the chance to come in contact with the center as it is rented out for various local events such as baptisms and birthday parties to generate income to help cover costs for various repairs. Recently a group of Swiss students visited the center, and the funds raised were used to buy new wood laminate flooring to replace the myriad of carpets that had covered the bare cement.

The Fountain of Hope began in 2007, in partnership with the Panatau Community and The Cooperating Netherlands Foundation. Its main goal was to reduce the rate of primary school dropout in the village, and indeed, none of the children benefitting from the Fountain of Hope’s services have been held back or dropped out. While the majority of such after-school centers in the area closed due to lack of funding, thanks to the involvement of AMURTEL’s international network of sponsors and the local community council of Panatau the project has survived despite severe cuts in social services nationwide.  Please help us to keep it going! We will be needing extra help this year to support the increased costs!

Thank you!


Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Fountain of Hope, News | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Adventures in Sovata for a new batch of Familia AMURTEL kids!

In the month of July 2011, a new batch of young boys from Familia AMURTEL had their first chance to participate in annual tradition of Outward Bound adventure camps in Sovata, Transylvania.

This year, the group was together with Costin, the psychologist of Familia AMURTEL, and our loyal Dada Subuddhyananda – a veteran of these camps. The adventure began with backpacking through the mountains to reach a special lake with an interesting history – it is actually a submerged village that was flooded during Ceaucescu’s reign in order to create a resevoir. Only a church steeple can still be seen above the water’s surface. The boys learned kayaking and also constructed rafts from truck tires and crossed the lake on them. It was a challenging problem solving experience – but as Ionut said “No problem, we can figure it out!”. Meanwhile Stefan and Bogdan swam in the lake, and encouraged the younger ones to learn swimming as well.

 

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Child Protection, Familia AMURTEL, Vistara Social Integration | Leave a comment

Developing computer literacy in Panatau village!

despachetare calculatoare

Au fost dornici sa invete

tastarea primelor litere

deschiderea primului document word

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Familia AMURTEL, Fountain of Hope | Leave a comment

Bucharest Kindergarten Successfully Renovated!

 

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Neohumanist Education, News, NHE Kindergartens | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Extensive kindergarten renovation underway


Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in News, NHE Kindergartens | Leave a comment

Training: Disaster Relief Management

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Events, Relief Work, Training | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Permaculture planning

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in "Casa Iedera" Poieni, Events, Social Economy, Training | Leave a comment

“Young Voices of Europe” project promoting Volunteerism

The "Young Voices of Europe" from Romania

Atelier de creare filme si blog-uri

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in News, Social Inclusion, Vistara Social Integration | Leave a comment

Vindecare prin joc: Protejarea copilului in interventiile in caz de dezastre

Poza din intervetie in urma inundatiilor din vara anului 2010 in judetul Braila in tabara de sinistrati de la Lacul Sarat.

 

 

 

 

Poza din interventia in urma dezastrului cauzat de cutremurul din Haiti la inceputul anului 2010.

 

 

 

 

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Events, Relief Work, Training | Leave a comment

Cum sa facem fata comportamentelor copiilor cu un istoric cu trauma

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Events, Training | Leave a comment

Marius revisits the kindergartens after 12 years!

Our kindergartens in Bucharest have been practicing “inclusive education” since their inception 16 years ago – not only integrating special needs children within a the kindergarten setting, but also giving special attention to adapting the program itself to be accessible and welcoming for all. Neohumanist Education looks for opportunities to celebrate diversity and to adapt the program to respond to specific needs of individual children.

Marius was welcomed with lots of love and enthusiasm

Making fruit salad together

Kalyani - one of his many new admirers!

One of the highlights was welcoming a very special guest to the kindergarten, Marius. It was not the first time Marius had been to our kindergartens – in fact, he was among the first children with special needs to attend many years ago. Now he is a very positive, optimistic, sunny and inspiring 19 year old young man! He was delighted to revisit the kindergarten and enthusiastically participated in the program – helping the children make fruit salad and lemon cake, giving them rides on his wheelchair, sharing songs, games and memories from his kindergarten days and answering their questions. The children absolutely loved him and they were very excited to play with him.

Marius giving Mara a ride on his lap!

We have also been very happy to welcome two new children to our kindergartens with social disadvantages. AMURTEL recently signed a partnership with Department of Social Services to receive social beneficiaries free of charge – counting on the generosity of our supporters to help us cover the costs. Both little girls have young single mothers that are staying in a special residential shelter where they receive help integrating into the work force and taking care of their children. The girls are integrating well into the program and learning lots! We also have another child that has been attending for free for the past 2 years, as she also comes from a disadvantaged single parent family. Her mother volunteers in the kindergarten and has been very active and involved.

Please consider donating to help us include these children in the kindergarten. AMURTEL has to raise approximately 50 euros per month per child to cover the extra costs to keep them in the program. There are three more months left of school for this school year – so that would come to approximately 150 euros per child.

All donations are welcome and can be made in a few clicks online:

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in NHE Kindergartens | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Extending inclusive approaches at Gradinita Rasarit


Since its inception in 1995, Gradinita Rasarit “Sunrise Kindergarten” in Bucharest has been pioneering  inclusive education – setting up classrooms that go beyond simply “integrating” children with special needs, but rather designing curriculum, methodology and communication in such a way that all of the children, especially those with special needs, feel valued, visible and included. The kindergarten years (age 2 1/2-7 in Romania) cover a critical period in human development, forming the templates for later experiences in life.  When young children are not able to participate in a social setting with a variety of peers at this age, when they are segregated and socialize only with others with special needs  - or when they are integrated,  but they feel invisible and simply expected to adapt to the “norm” – the stage is then set for a pattern of marginalization, and ultimately,  social exclusion. Positive social skills and patterns are also set at this formative stage. Thus, when children are in a loving, accepting and encouraging atmosphere – their social confidence and relationships can bloom. Much of human satisfaction in life comes from being able to develop a healthy, supportive social network, and yet if children are not exposed to such relationships from their early childhood, it becomes increasingly difficult to develop socially appropriate behavior and skills. This in turn, then increases their isolation. Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Child Protection, Neohumanist Education, Social Inclusion, NHE Kindergartens | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Volunteering at AMURTEL- a creative learning experience

As Fernando Aranda was absorbed painting  a radiant  sun smiling over a scene full of blissful children from around the world, animals, bees, even a lizard,  people young and old passing by the outside of AMURTEL’s “Gradita Rasarit” kindergarten,  stopped to watch in fascination. Many asked him about his painting in Romanian, and even though he spoke only Spanish – the language of art created a universal bridge of communication, and they left smiling.

Fernando is one of several volunteers that have come to help in our projects.  As he is artist, he used his skills with painting to paint murals and decorations, and to give workshops with the children from Familia AMURTEL and Fountain of Hope. In the Fountain of Hope afterschool center  he guided the children to make their own mural on the walls of the center. They choose to make a big, spreading tree.

Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Fountain of Hope, News, NHE Kindergartens | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Outdoor Summer Adventures!!!

This summer AMURTEL organized two exciting outdoor adventures as part of its Vistara program to prepare our young people for life, in a fun, challenging and memorable way.

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Child Protection, Familia AMURTEL, News, Vistara Social Integration | Tagged , | Comments Off

Positive momentum building in the Bucharest Sunrise KGs

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Neohumanist Education, News, NHE Kindergartens | Tagged , , | Comments Off

“Ray of Sunshine” program in camp for flood affected families

Making salt dough and getting messy!

In August 2010, during some of the hottest days of a sweltering Romanian summer, AMURTEL Romania’s newly formed volunteer relief team, set up its first  ”Ray of Sunshine” women and children’s programs  in a camp in Braila for families affected by the Danube flooding this summer. AMURTEL Romania had organized a Disaster Relief Management program in July, so it was a perfect opportunity to put the “Child Friendly Spaces” model presented in the training directly into action.[/lang-en] Continue reading

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off

“Gradinita Rasarit” Kindergarten renovations nearing completion!

The renovations are nearing completing - here is the new roof and facade!

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in News, NHE Kindergartens | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off

AMURTEL Romania Flood Relief in Braila

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in News, Relief Work | Tagged , | Comments Off

“Ready to Fly” – awarded funding

Share on Facebook
Share
Posted in Vistara Social Integration | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off