heks

Romania has some experience as an EU country. The most striking change is the improvement in infrastructure. Social changes do not happen quite so fast. The administrative wheels of the EU Structural Funds turn slowly and the anticipated finances are equally slow to materialise.

Another result of joining the EU and the freedom of movement and residence associated therewith is the mass exodus to western Europe. There is arguably not a single Romanian family left without one member working abroad. Against this backdrop of social changes and welfare problems, state structures which react too slowly, and social networks which lack cohesion and support, the call goes out once again to the pastoral and charitable organisations of the churches. Given their historical mandate and their own understanding of their mission, they have never relied too heavily on state subsidies and are now well placed to finance this transitional period through the traditional ecclesiastical networks.

Aims, points of focus, initiatives:

HEKS supports, advises and promotes outreach projects and the development of organisations. Indeed, in many cases, the charitable organisations have been working for some time but there is still a need to bring them up to modern-day standards of professionalism. The aims of all the projects are to support the transformation process in Romania and to fill the gaps in areas where public services are still lacking and, in so doing, to bring about a sustainable improvement in the living conditions of socially disadvantaged sections of the population (children, old people, women). Another focal point of the work is community development support. The main strategy to this end is training pastors and church workers in community work and pastoral care. One final point to make about Romania is that it is a country which is regularly afflicted by natural disasters. Heavy rains repeatedly cause flooding, and some parts of Romania are at high risk of earthquakes. Working in partnership with AIDRom, and benefiting from the organisation’s experience in emergency aid, HEKS is able to act swiftly and professionally to administer immediate aid and support with reconstruction.