Winter has come: the rehabilitation of the houses affected by the floods continues!

Right after the disaster made by the Trotus River in the poor neighbourhoods of Comanesti, Habitat for Humanity initiated an intervention plan designed to help the affected families rebuild their homes. During 1st of October 2005 – 31st of January 2006, 106 families from the poor areas of the town will be helped. So far, 28 families enjoy already the warmth of their rebuilt home.

“I couldn’t believe that our life time work was gone in a second … water entered everywhere … it destroyed all the furniture, the walls are mouldy and I can’t light the fire because the stoves are gone …”, said Ion Craciun, the owner of a house which needed 40% reconstruction works.

The concrete floors and the plastering works for the remaining 78 houses were finished on 5th of December, so all these families will celebrate Christmas in their own house. The remaining of December and January is for interior painting and finishing works.

“There are old and sick people who need help. The mud under the wooden floor, the mould and lack of heating affects their health. I think we ought to get involve in these people’s life”, declared Viorel Miron, the mayor of Comanesti.

The works went very well due to families’ involvement who worked hard at all the reconstruction works. It is especially praiseworthy the diligence of the 20 Roma families affected by flooding, one of them with 19 family members!

The partners and their role in the project:

• Habitat for Humanity manages the project and is acting effectively in the field together with the partner families;

• United States Agency for International Development (USAID) finances this project;

• CHF Romania, US non-profit organization for international development, manages and evaluates the project;

• The Town hall of Comanesti supports the project and allots qualified personnel and logistics.

"The mission of Habitat Comanesti is to help people in need living in substandard conditions. Therefore we built 4 houses this year together with the beneficiary families from Comanesti and we will continue this program in 2006, too. July floodings have been a new challenge for us, but we decided that Habitat Comanesti will renovate the flooded houses," said Mr. Gheorghe Baciu, the president of HFH Comanesti.