Shortly after he was born, Cezar was left at the maternity hospital.
As a newborn, he did not receive the warmth and attention that every child needs to grow up and thrive. Yet he found the strength to overcome health challenges, and hardship. And along the way, he had people by his side who helped change the course of his life.
One of them is Costela. She is a foster parent who welcomed Cezar into her care when he was just three weeks old.
“Cezar was a very small baby when he was placed with his foster parent. He had been abandoned in the hospital and was experiencing health problems that required urgent medical intervention. Costela was the person who was able to respond immediately and secure the medical care he needed,” says Iuliana Popescu, Foster Care Coordinator at the General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) in Dolj County.
Love Changes Lives
Today, Cezar is surrounded by love and receives plenty of attention. He happily crawls around the house at what seems like a record-breaking speed for a baby and enjoys exploring his toys by putting them in his mouth.
For the past few weeks, he has not been the only child receiving love and protection from the family. He has been joined by Mathias, a one-year-and-three-month-old boy. Together, they are two bundles of energy in the household, playing, eating, and growing up side by side.
Since she became a foster parent six years ago, Costela has cared for three other young children. Two of them were adopted, while the third was reunited with his mother.
“I am very happy for them when they leave for good families, and I hope they will have a good life. It hurts and I cry for a while, but I continue to pray for every child who has passed through this home. Whenever I can, I go to church and pray for their health and well-being and for with their parents’, so they can have a good life and grow into successful adults. That is what I wish for them: to have a job, to become somebody in life. I truly wish that with all my heart,” says Costela.
Like Cezar and Mathias, many other children could have their lives changed through the care and love of a foster parent, including children with severe disabilities who are growing up in residential care centres. For these children, the chances of being placed with a foster family are often lower. Their care frequently involves ongoing therapies and rehabilitation services, which can require significant dedication and effort.
UNICEF works with partners to ensure that more children who need protection—including those with severe disabilities—can grow up in a family environment provided through foster care. Beyond specialized therapies, children need love and stability to thrive—which a family environment offers best.
A foster parent can change the life of children who need protection.
Help Cezar and other children grow up in a family.
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Frequently Asked Questions
UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund, working to protect and promote the rights of every child, everywhere. We work to help the most vulnerable with health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more.
Thanks to support from donors like you, we have been able to make a difference for children in need, to save, nurture, and protect the most vulnerable. We are active in over 190 countries and territories and have helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization.
You can choose to securely make a one-time or monthly donation online, by clicking the Donation button.
To contribute to a fundamental change in the lives of vulnerable children, the longer you choose to get involved, the more powerful your donation will be.
Vulnerable children’s lives can be improved with your constant support. By donating, you become an active part of the solution and of the change process.
The money raised is used where it is needed for vulnerable children. For example, to provide free access to specialized services for vulnerable children in Romania or offer a rapid and effective response to children affected by wars and natural disasters.
UNICEF asks for monthly contributions to help us provide sustainable long-term solutions to help children around the world.
Please note that the stories of children and price point descriptions mentioned (if any) are to illustrate activities and the impact your donation can make on the lives of vulnerable children from Romania and around the world. UNICEF, based on the needs on the ground, will allocate resources to areas that need funds the most.
A monthly gift is a recurring gift amount that you choose to send each month, and it is even more impactful because you're helping children every single day.
Your monthly gift will also enable us to plan effectively in our upcoming work, reduce costs and most importantly, reach even more children in need. The support and generosity of monthly donors contribute significantly to UNICEF efforts to help vulnerable children.
We will be sending you regular updates about UNICEF’s work for children in Romania and around the world.
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