Livia TrifExecutive director of

Holt International Children Services – Romanian BranchExecutive director of Holt Romania

Foundation for Consultancy and Social Services for Children and Families

HOLT INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S SERVICES is an American NGO specialized in social services for children and families.

Established in 1956 in the United States in Eugene, Oregon, Holt presently works in 11 countries throughout the world.

The Romanian branch of Holt International Children’s Services was accredited by the Romanian Government in 1992 to develop programs in Child Welfare and Child Protection; now HOLT carries out social programs in 4 sites: Bucharest, Constanta, Targu-Mures and Iasi.

HOLT INTERNATIONAL HOLT INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S SERVICESCHILDREN’S SERVICES

Romanian BranchRomanian Branch

“Every child deserves a home of his own”

“All the children are beautiful when they are loved”

HOLT’S MISSION

Holt International Children Services is dedicated to carrying out God’s

plan for every child to have a permanent, loving home through reuniting birth families, in-country

adoption and international adoption.

Social Assistance Program for HIV

affected Children and Families

Addresses HIV+ children who are institutionalized (hospitalized) and to those from the community living

in their families, being at risk of abandonment/institutionalization.

PROGRAM PURPOSE

Through this program, Holt proposes to contribute to the normalization

of living standards of children affected by HIV and their families, maintaining the child within the

family, community and school and also to offer an alternative for the

abandoned HIV+ children.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Prevention of the abandonment of the HIV affected/infected children.Reintegration in the biological family of the abandoned HIV+ children.Providing an alternative to HIV+ child’s institutionalization, which is foster care.Improving the crisis situations that occur in the HIV+ child’s family.Social reintegration of the HIV/AIDS children and their families.School reintegration of the HIV+ child.Representing the interest of HIV/AIDS infected children in front of the authorities and collaborating with them in order to improve their situation.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVESProtecting the rights of HIV/AIDS infected and affected persons and promoting tolerance and a non-discriminatory attitude about them. Facilitating organizational development and supporting associations of parents with HIV positive children and NGO’s working in HIV/AIDS domain from Romania. Accessing national and international funds for associations of parents with HIV positive children and NGO’s working in HIV/AIDS domain. Offering technical support, training, consultation, informative and didactic material for developing the abilities of the members from associations of parents with HIV positive children from Romania.

PROGRAM SERVICESCounseling of the child and his/her family “pre” and “post” HIV testing and in the crisis periods as well.Foster Care (Maternal assistance) for abandoned HIV+ children.Information and education regarding the disease and needed therapy.Information regarding the legal rights of HIV+ persons. Assistance in order to get their legal rights.Connection to the community and institutional resources.Financial support for at-risk HIV+ children.

PROGRAM HISTORY

The Social Assistance Program for HIV+ Children and Their Families started in 1993 as a result of the problem of HIV+ children being

abandoned and institutionalized due to the reason of the disease as well as the tendency for HIV+ people to

be rejected by the community within they live.

ACHIEVEMENTS

812 children have received complex social services in order to prevent their abandonment and to reduce the number of institutionalized HIV affected children.

37 children abandoned in hospitals returned to their biological families.

15 abandoned children have been placed in foster care families finding the family that they deserve.

Florin

13 years oldAbandoned from

birth in hospital without any identity

Loves to live in the countryside

Enjoys not only his first family but also his first brother.

Ana-Maria

Institutionalized in orphanage for 3 years together with her sister

2 years in Foster Care

Reintegrated to her biological family

Sensitive, emotional instability

Cornel

Case referred as an emergency by the national television

13 years oldLoves animals,

especially horsesEnjoys a lot his new

foster brother

Ionut

15 years oldHe lost his foster

brother who died of AIDS and suffered a lot

Loves to ride the bicycle

Has many friends

Nicusor

He lived the last 4 years of his life in a loving familiar environment with 4 sisters

He loved to sing and dance

He died last year at the age of 12

Oana

Abandoned during her first year of life

5 years already lived in the same foster family who lost their biological child by AIDS

12 years old, tomboyCheerful disposition

Olimpia

She never knew her parents

Lived in an orphanage

Her dream became a reality when she was placed in the Foster family

12 years old nowLoves to go to school

Simona

She had the bad luck to be rejected by 2 foster families

Loves flowersPhotogenic, friendlyLives now with a

social family in a children’s home

13 years old

Tita

Survived for 3 years in Foster Care enjoying life.

Everybody loved her and remembers her smiley face

She passed away last year

Valentin

He lived in an orphanage until he was 9

Placed in the foster family on his anniversary

Spoiled, tender, exuberant

HOLT INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S SERVICES

&USAID