In Romania, ADRA Builds Hundreds of Houses for Working Families in Need

On October 12, 2020, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Romania inaugurated its 330th social housing project in Valea Lungă-Cricov, Dâmbovița. The inauguration, part of the “Finally Home!” initiative, benefited the family of residents Gabriel and Veronica Cismaru and their two young children, Cristian and Alexia.

After receiving a request for help and assessing the situation, ADRA Romania decided to build a new house for this family in distress. Daniel Neacșu, project manager and ADRA coordinator in the Muntenia and Dobrogea regions, led a group of volunteers who contributed to the construction.

The project of building the 330th house was launched on March 18, 2020. During the seven months it took to complete the 650-square-foot (about 60-square-meter) home, ADRA welcomed the help of a team of ten volunteers and six sponsors who funded the construction. The new home includes two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, a hall, and a terrace, ADRA reported. 

At the inauguration, ADRA Romania executive director Robert Georgescu said that ADRA Romania invests in people’s potential, as it has done for years, to support the socially disadvantaged. “Since 2005, ADRA Romania has been implementing house construction projects to improve living conditions for many vulnerable families,” he said. “Our 330th house may not be big, but it stands for people with a big heart, willing to invest in helping this family. As we serve humanity so that everyone lives as God planned, I would like to remind you that no project can be completed without willing people behind it.”

Georgel Pîrlitu, executive secretary of the Adventist Church’s Romanian Union Conference, said he was glad to be part of the inauguration and highlighted ADRA’s assistance, which, he emphasized, has no strings attached. “Usually, when someone does a favor for someone else, it’s for his benefit or his family or his employees,” he said. “However, when ADRA does something, it’s not for its own benefit but to benefit others. I congratulate the whole team that made this dream come true.”

Gabriel Cismaru, the father of the family who benefited from the new home, said his family was witnessing a miracle. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you have done for us,” he said.

About the Project

The project “Finally Home!” is how ADRA Romania is involved in supporting disadvantaged families by building homes for those who experience difficult conditions but have the desire to work. Since its launch, ADRA has identified and supported people in need who do not have a suitable living space. These projects are carried out in partnership with local authorities, and funding comes from both individuals and entities. Implementation of the project is done with the help of volunteers from Romania and abroad.

Since 1990, ADRA Romania has been involved mainly in development projects that benefit the entire population. ADRA Romania seeks to bring joy and hope to people’s lives by promoting a better future, positive values, and human dignity. ADRA Romania is part of the ADRA International network, the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. ADRA is one of the most widespread non-governmental organizations in the world, currently active in more than 130 countries, and assists people without making racial, ethnic, political, or religious distinctions, as it strives to serve humanity so that all may live as God intended.

The original version of this story was posted on the Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Romania news site.