The Romanian Aid Foundation & Asociatia Neemia

Packing sessions at Horley have restarted on Friday afternoons, with a moderate but consistent supply of items being donated. The Billingshurst warehouse was effectively empty after the December lorry but offers of duvets and sporting goods will soon restore the usual level of activity. In Swansea the state of the warehouse precludes the storage of most items during the winter so one of the first tasks will be consolidating the separate collections that have been kept safely in diverse locations.

Winter has finally arrived in this part of Romania, coincident with the return to school. A complication this year is that many schools that rely on central heating are having to restrict the heating in the classrooms; rural schools which still have wood stoves in the classrooms are better suited to the cold weather although the supply of wood remains a problem. We do still have a small amount of wood for the most needy households but the ability to help with other energy bills is extremely limited. However, we are able to continue to provide warm clothing and knitwear for those who request them, and we are grateful to those who have sent these items.

As mentioned last month, sponsorship from our UK teams allowed us to make up Christmas gift packs using goods acquired locally. Food packs were given to 153 households, a selection of treats to 70 families with children, and cakes to the residents at Casa Neemia. Four families with young babies received powdered baby milk in December and again in January, and one larger family receives a regular supply of fresh milk. The sponsorship was sufficiently generous to allow us to plan a similar food distribution at Easter and continue providing powdered milk until then.

Last year’s permit for importing goods from outside of the EU expired at the end of December. It will be necessary to renew the permit for this year; new procedures have been introduced which may reduce the range of goods that can be received without paying import taxes. It is also possible that each load will require a separate permit, adding to the complications. It is disappointing that our comparatively small aid activities are being caught up in regulations drafted for large commercial enterprises.

This month’s featured photos

• More help on its way

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, January 2022