5^th of August 2005

Ovidiu Rom Association partners with Habitat for Humanity Romania, City Hall of Comanesti and Prefecture of Bacau to repair houses severely destroyed by July floods in Comanesti, Bacau county.



Ovidiu Rom Association has donated $5,000 to Habitat for Humanity for flood relief in Comanesti, one of the towns most severely affected by recent flooding. The donation was made in the memory of Peace Corps volunteer Chip Browder who worked in Comanesti during 2000-2002. The donation will contribute to the costs of repairing the houses of over 300 families who were affected by the flood water.

A group of 12 volunteers from the United States, Canada and Australia led by Tom Geary have already started to clean up the mud around the house of the Albu family who was dramatically affected by the flood. The elderly couple - Polihronia (67) and Gheorghe (73) – are still in shock as their life was abruptly changed by Trotus river (see photo above).

The floods in Comanesti affected 688 families (2031 persons); 385 homes were damaged and 77 homes were completely destroyed by water and mud.

Habitat for Humanity has had an affiliate organization in Comanesti since 2005. “A detailed intervention plan is being finalized by Habitat for Humanity and will be presented to the public in two days”, said Adrian Ciorna, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Romania. „With our dedicated partners like Ovidiu Rom Association and support from Prefecture of Bacau and City Hall of Comanesti, we will repair several hundred severely damaged houses in Comanesti. Habitat will make all efforts possible to bring back the smiles on the faces of many unfortunate families in this town before Christmas 2005. We welcome new partners in this massive common reconstruction effort”, he added.

“Habitat for Humanity has an outstanding reputation for helping people to build - build homes, build hope and build lives. This is the mission of the "Gata, Dispus si Capabil" (Ready, Willing and Able) programs too,” said Ovidiu Rom’s President Leslie Hawke. “As members of AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce in Romania) we are committed to synergistic collaborations between NGOs, as well as with the other sectors”, she added. Ovidiu Rom Association is involved in improving living conditions in poor Roma neighborhoods in Bacau and Buhusi through its “Better Neighborhoods” community development program. It has been working in the county since 2001, when the “Gata, Dispus si Capabil” programs for impoverished children and mothers started as a project of the Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar (Community Support Foundation), Bacau.

Habitat for Humanity in Romania has built 155 homes with families in need since being established in 1996. Habitat is active in Beius, Cluj, Pitesti, Radauti, Comanesti, Craiova and Cumpana. As part of Habitat for Humanity’s “sweat equity” method, homeowner families are required to help build their own home, alongside volunteers.

Habitat for Humanity is a nondenominational Christian organization dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Habitat built its 200,000^th on 15^th of August this year house and more than one million people are living in Habitat homes they helped build and are buying through no-profit, zero-interest mortgages.

Ovidiu Rom Association works to empower impoverished people through education, job training, public awareness and community development. Its award-winning "Gata, Dispus si Capabil" Program is an adaptation of the highly-regarded welfare-to-work program "Ready, Willing & Able", which was developed in the U.S. by The Doe Fund of New York.

Leslie Hawke and Maria Gheorghiu started "Gata, Dispus si Capabil" in 2001 as a project of the Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar in Bacau. The programs are currently co-financed by USAID through World Learning. "Gata, Dispus si Capabil" helps impoverished mothers find and keep jobs, and helps impoverished children get into school, stay in school, and excel in school. The Bucharest program is a partnership with Asociatia Sfantul Stelian (Saint Stelian Association) and the Bacau program is a partnership with Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar.

To volunteer, donate or obtain more information, please contact:

Zamfir Todor
Communications Manager, Habitat for Humanity Romania
communications@habitat.ro; 0259321511 or 0724292541, www.habitat.ro

Alina Seghedi
Director of Development, Ovidiu Rom Association
alina@ovid.ro; 3158806 or 0723603603; www.ovid.ro