Special Healthcare Volunteer Opportunities at an Orphanage in Romania

  Romania

Bucuresti (Bucharest)

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks

Description: The orphanage has a small clinic that is used for the dispensing of medicines, treating of small injuries, and administering inoculations. Due to the orphanages long distance from the local hospitals and the hospital costs, many medical problems persist for a long period of time. Many of these can be resolved fairly easily with diagnosis, medication, and education. One of the biggest issues is the lack of dental care and the absence of dental hygiene education, but any professional support is much needed. Medical and Dental students have the opportunity to teach and assist in local schools and the clinic.

Highlights: Program Location

Situated in Eastern Europe, Romania is a country rich in natural resources as well as rich in history and culture. It is a country that is very geographically diverse, containing plains, mountains, and access to the Black Sea on its Eastern coast. The beautiful landscape is dotted with ancient ruins, remains of Greek ports, and deteriorating Roman constructions. The villages of Valea Screzii and Valea Plopului are based in a rural area of Romania at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. The landscape is dotted with small strips of farm land, apple orchards, and the natural oak and poplar woodlands from which Valea Plopului gets its name, Valley of the Poplars. There are several small villages located in this area with the main shops being located at Starchiojd, 2 km away. In this area the rural traditional way of life has changed little over the last hundred years, with horse and carts still a regular site on the roads. It is a 2 ½ hour drive to the capital, Bucharest, and 30 minutes to the nearest town. The area is known for its production of the Romanian specialty Tuica, a plum based vodka, and for its production of wine. The villages are only 2 hours from the tourist resorts of Sinaia with their winter skiing and summer hiking, their national parks and the castle Peles. Traveling just 45 minutes farther will take volunteers to the region of Transylvania.

5 Issue Overview

In 2000, 44.5% of the Romanian population was below the poverty line. Children are, of course, the ones who are most easily affected by this situation, thousands of them being placed in orphanages or forced to take refugee on the streets as their parents cannot afford to raise them. Seeing the heartbreaking situation that these children faced, a Romanian priest, Father Tanase, decided to aid these young people. The organization Pro Vita was set up in 1991 after the fall of communism to provide an alternative to the large communist orphanages which were under funded and plagued by abuse and corruption. Father Tanase started with one child; today the organization is responsible for over 240 children with 28 living permanently in our care homes and the others having been fostered into families in the local area. As well as caring for children pro vita cares for adults who were in state institutions as children and as such suffered mental and physical abuse and today are unable to live independently. We also provide homes for families in need, and a safe house for women and children escaping abuse.

Excursions
Depending on the duration of your stay you may have an opportunity to visit local monasteries, outlying villages, the beautiful city of Sinaia, Bran Castle (Dracula's Castle), the medieval citadel of Rasnov and Bucharest.

Qualifications: Wanted: Dentists, physicians, pediatricians, ophthalmologists, and medical and dental students

Cost in US$: 1 week $1395

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: United Planet requests five things of you: Flexibility, Courage, Open-mindedness, Tolerance and Compassion. Volunteer and educational travel around the world is often filled with unpredictable surprises, such as transportation delays, local holidays, etc. Cultures vary greatly. Some things may appear shocking and you might feel outside of your comfort zone in some situations. You might also experience disturbing poverty or suffering in certain areas. People, including the local population and fellow Quest participants, might have vastly different religious, ideological, racial, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds. In short, you will be challenged and stimulated in ways that you may not be able to currently imagine. If you remember the UP code and maintain flexibility, courage, open-mindedness, tolerance, and compassion, you will build greater bonds with the people around you, attain a rich cultural understanding, and truly experience the ultimate educational adventure of a United Planet Quest, while having lots of fun along the way.

Age Range: All Ages

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Romania Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Job and Internship Network

United Planet's Mission Statement: As an international non-profit organization, United Planet (UP) strives to create a world in which all people understand, respect, and support one another. United Planet's global network of leaders and volunteers fosters cross-cultural understanding and addresses shared challenges to unite the world in a community beyond borders. In 2008, United Planet was one of only ten organizations selected by CNN to be part of its "Be the Change" initiative.

Year Founded: 2001