Onesti

Onesti is a town in the County of Bacau with a population of 52,000 inhabitants. Its claim to fame is being the birthplace of Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci. The principal source of employment is the large chemical and oil refinery works on the edge of the town.

The Alexandra Centre

The Alexandra Centre was originally built in 1969 as an orphanage for infants and toddlers under the age of three. It is now:

• A residential care home for 120 children aged 0 to 18 years. Many have mild to moderate disabilities and some have profound and multiple disabilities
• A day centre for an additional 145 disabled children aged 2 to 10 years, providing a range of therapies and first stage education.

It provides its children with:

• Physiotherapy
• Multi-sensory therapy
• Speech therapy
• Psychological services
• Social work services
• Foster care services

A new respite care centre is being planned and there is an intention to run an early intervention unit.

Libra's work at the Alexandra Centre

Our partner organization in Onesti is the Asociatia Incluziunea, an NGO set up by Corina Murariu-Botez, the Director of the Alexandra Centre, to provide a structure for fundraising activities for the Centre.

UK students have been delivering Libra’s programmes at the Centre for a number of years. As well as working with the children in the Centre on innovative heuristic play and art and craft activities, Libra takes some of the more able children on a summer camp where they learn some independence, such as how to dress and feed themselves. All the activities provided are designed to promote the children’s development and wellbeing.

In addition, we have been providing therapy services into the Centre for a number of years. Qualified Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists visit the Centre each year to assess and recommend interventions for particular children as well providing general training to the staff, parents and carers.