Astrid - 2010 Project

How did I hear about TEECH
I and my husband are guest parents for the Dutch organisation Europa Kinderhulp (European Childcare). I'm Dutch as well, and I live in the Netherlands. Europa Kinderhulp invites children from poor families or social problems for a holiday in Holland. We had for 3 years each summer children from Romania in our house.
In 2009 children from an orphanage in Falesti/ Moldova would come to Holland for a Holliday. Everything was arranged! 2 weeks before arrival we got the message the children couldn't come. This was of course a disappointment for us, but MUCH MORE for the children. Again a promise was not kept for these children. My friend Tita and I said to each other, :"when the children can't come to Holland, we go to them."
People in Holland heart about our plans, and we received donations. I was thinking that it was not such a good idea to give the money to the Orphanage, but I thought it was better to buy goods for the money and give goods to the orphanage.
But how could we do that? I start to search on the internet and I found TEECH. I saw they would go to the same orphanage.  So we decide to donate the money we received to TEECH.

Why did I volunteer?   In 2009 I and my friend went to the orphanage in Falesti and we also visited a elderly project in Straseni. Because of problems with documents Teech couldn't bring the aid in Falesti in 2009. So Teech decided to bring the aid and do the construction work in 2010. I decided to join Teech in 2010.
It gives me a good feeling to help people, who aren't as lucky as I am.

What was the project?
In 2010 I mostly did painting, cleaning, and little assisting in the kitchen. I also did some translation, because I speak basic Romanian.

What was the highlight?
I liked it very much. A group with so many different people, different backgrounds, different characters, but with the same goal. That is what I liked most, and of course the evening when we visited the children in summer camp. A lot of the children remembered me from my visit in 2009, and that was also great! 
 
Would I do it again?
This year, 2011, I will join again. I will help Teech for 1 week together with my friend Tita. I also appreciate it very much that Teech also bring aid to the elderly project in Straseni which I recommended. It would be great if maybe an other year Teech can do some construction work for the people in home care from that elderly home.