The Romanian Aid Foundation & Asociatia Neemia

This month’s news

The Horley packing team has continued to meet on the first and third Fridays of each month; this year, due to a good quantity of donations, we continued through August without taking our usual break. Together with our colleagues in south Wales, we are assembling another load, hopefully for dispatch some time next month.

In Romania our team continues to keep in contact with families which we have helped previously. In many cases they no longer need the same level of support as before: this is a success and an encouragement for all those involved in providing the aid. By contrast, on a recent morning there were more than 10 people waiting at the office – other families taking the place of those who no longer ask for help.

In contrast to much of Europe, the drought conditions in north-east Romania have worsened during the past month, with a detrimental impact on food production and therefore higher prices. Home gardeners too are feeling the effects of the limited rainfall, with many having to collect water from the communal supply.

We have continued to receive short-dated food from a local supermarket chain. Another charity which cares for elderly people has joined the scheme and now receives part of the food; this has reduced the amount we receive to about £4,000 each month. This amount is easier to distribute whilst still providing a worthwhile amount of help for those in need.

We send best wishes to Ema, until recently our receptionist, who is getting married this month. Ema helped with the transition to the new statutory system of digital transaction records and we trust that she will settle well into her new life. Her duties are being covered by redeployment of the other staff together with help from two volunteers. One of them is a young man who has been helped a lot over the years and makes himself available for manual work; the other is a lady who lives adjacent to the office and enjoys the company each morning.

This month’s featured photos

The drought continues: The lake bed is dry … Our crops have suffered … Seeking refreshment

Revisiting old friends: A grateful mum … Reviving memories … Growing fast

Last month’s statistics

The monthly figures do not include food donations with a total value of £3,594

Stats notes:
– Joiners are new registrants this month, Leavers are are those whose latest recorded donation was 12 months ago.
– Some households may receive more than one donation during a month (eg, repeat donations of food).
– Items shown as 0 or as “…” are awaiting final returns for the month.

 
Previous month’s news, August 2024

This Month’s Prayer Notes

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Link to this month’s Prayer Notes