Gloucestershire group helps abandoned children in Europe's poorest country

A group of financial and law experts from Gloucestershire have travelled to Moldova to see firsthand how their fundraising efforts are helping a UK charity close harmful children orphanages.

During the past eight years John Storm, Huw Jones, Stephanie Parr and Tom Baker have helped to raise thousands of pounds for the international charity Hope and Homes for Children through fundraising initiatives at their respective work places - Zurich Financial Services and the law firm Beachcroft LLP.

Working in ten countries across Eastern Europe and Africa, Hope and Homes for Children is a world leader in closing children’s institutions and moving children into loving families.

The group decided to travel to Moldova last month to see for themselves how they and their companies’ joint fundraising endeavors were helping to transform young, vulnerable lives in Europe’s poorest country.

Mr Baker, said: ”It was a very humbling trip, but we were inspired to see how Hope and Homes for Children was helping to end the needless warehousing of children.”

Widespread poverty combined with a lack of basic social services has resulted in 8,800 children being place in state run institutions in Moldova. Only two per cent of the children living in the institutions are actually orphans. Most have at least one living parent, but have been abandoned due to the pressures of poverty, disease or prejudice.

Mr Baker added:  “By working in partnership with the Moldovan Government, Hope and Homes for Children is closing down institutions and reuniting children with their families, or placing them in foster or adoptive families,”

During their three day visit, the group visited the Chisinau Municipal Institution for Babies - which Hope and Homes for Children is currently working to close by 2013.

Mr Jones said: “Most of the babies we saw were abandoned at birth by young, unmarried mothers who felt unable to cope.

“Once in the institution the babies are completely starved of individual attention and are at risk of permanent mental and physical damage as a result. 

“There was one baby girl who we met, no more than 14-months-old, who had been diagnosed as HIV positive and was kept in complete isolation. 

“Her nappy was changed and she was fed, but this was the only human contact she had. She had been left like that for 12 months. 

“Having seen this we were left with no doubt those children belonged in families.”

Hope and Homes for Children has already successfully moved 49 babies out of the institution – returning them to families.

Ms Parr said: “It was great to see how in place of the baby institution the charity is developing a range of family support services to prevent child abandonment. 

“This included a nursery, day care centre for children with disabilities and a mother and baby unit. It was a privilege to see the charity’s work in action and it has definitely inspired us to do even more fundraising through our companies.”