Catholic Health Association of the United States of America
November 17, 2003 Issue
Thirteen years ago, the Catholic health ministry joined forces to help the Nameless Children of Romania, disabled youths who had been abandoned by their caregivers. Today, every single CHA-initiated project continues in Romania, run by local organizations. Thousands of children have been helped, but the need continues.
Those involved with the project said the program has been beneficial–and sustainable–in large part because its founders took a long-range view of the children's and the communities' needs.
"You don't rush in with flags waving and cameras grinding," said Robert Fredricks, MD, former CHA board chair and founder of the Nameless Children of Romania project. "You need a long-range outlook, and you need to involve the natives. This is critical."
Fredricks said CHA's approach serves as a model for humanitarian programs with long-term goals.
'They were put there to die'
CHA's involvement in the project began in 1990, when Fredricks and CHA staff
visited Romania at the request of Caritas International to investigate reports
of abandoned children who had been warehoused in orphanages. In 1989, when
dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu was overthrown, it was estimated that up to 100,000
children were institutionalized–4,000 of them deemed "irrecuperable." Members of
the group were shocked by the conditions in the institutions they toured.
"We saw tragic and unbelievable problems," said Fredricks. "The children were totally neglected. No one held them or talked to them. They were covered in bugs and feces. Some of them were beating their heads against the wall."
The orphanages housed infants and children who did not have caretakers and who had been deemed "irrecuperable" because they had mental or physical disabilities. Many Romanians, who were more focused on economic survival than humanitarianism, believed these youths were unworthy of care.
In the institutions, the children lived in steel cribs crowded in silent rooms. Orphanage staff members rarely interacted with their charges, fed them little more than powdered milk substitute, and did not even know the names of many of the children–thus the title of the CHA aid program: the Nameless Children of Romania fund.
"Women who did not have money would become pregnant and would abandon their children," said David Sauer, special assistant to the Catholic Medical Mission Board (CMMB), an aid organization that supports the Romanian aid efforts. "The kids with disabilities would be put in these orphanages to die."
'Different opportunities pull at your heart'
Inspired to help the "irrecuperables," Fredricks returned to the United
States and challenged the CHA Board of Trustees to develop a program to help the
children. The board agreed to create a fund, and Fredricks pledged the first
donation.
"The good Lord puts on your platter different opportunities that pull at your heart," Fredricks explained. "It was from this perspective that CHA set up the fund for the Nameless Children."
From 1990 to 1997, members of the Catholic health ministry contributed more than $2 million to the project. Under Fredricks' leadership, CHA worked with Caritas International and the Sisters of the Mother of God, a Romanian order that was disbanded by the communist regime then reunited after the regime ended, to establish a variety of aid programs using the donations. CHA also hired Sr. Anita Green, a Sister of Divine Providence, to oversee the project in Romania on CHA's behalf, and Mihaela Radu to serve as Sr. Anita's interpreter.
The team's goal was to ensure the orphaned children received the care and nurturing they needed. They also hoped to develop an adoption system for placing as many of the children as possible in safe, permanent homes.
'We trained the local people'
Throughout the planning and implementation of the Nameless Children project,
the team made it a priority to design support systems that were sustainable.
"Our primary mission was to try to rescue at least some of the children from misery and death," said Fredricks. "We set up project models, involved the Romanians, and kept with them for years to make sure they were on solid footing. We trained the local people well to move the projects forward."
'Like the difference between a ghetto and a mansion'
Those involved with the Nameless Children projects today said they have seen
firsthand substantial improvement in the lives of the "irrecuperable" children.
"A year after we began our program, the place was clean; it smelled better; and the kids were eating food," said Fredricks.
"Now, there are efforts to profile the children and separate them into smaller institutions and foster parent programs," said Sr. Anita, adding that "the staff is more caring, and the food is well prepared and nutritious."
"There are huge differences," added Radu. "In the past, the children were in bad conditions; and today they have a real home, care, support, and food. It is like the difference between a ghetto and a very nice mansion."
'Fighting for survival, you will do anything'
With this solid foundation in place, the Romanians running the Nameless
Children projects today plan to increase the availability of local training
programs for their clinicians by reopening a nursing school. They also plan to
expand their adoption programs so that more children will be placed with
permanent families.
However, as in the past, the project coordinators face challenges. Many barriers to success are government-related, said Sr. Anita.
"Because of widespread corruption," she explained, "the foreign adoption program has been closed down for about two years. We have 15 toddlers who are going nowhere."
She said government corruption and bureaucracy also make it difficult for the Nameless Children program and other aid projects to receive ample funding and to import donated supplies. Since the beginning of the project, one of the largest obstacles has been social conditions.
"The communist regime was over, but not in the minds of the people," explained Radu. "With that mentality, humanitarianism was not a priority. Taking care of children was not a priority."
"The Romanian people were in a situation of poverty. When you are fighting for survival, you will do anything, even abandon your own children," said Fredricks. "This is still a problem today."
Funding is another challenge. The Nameless Children projects currently receive financial and in-kind support from CMMB; the Congregation of Divine Providence; the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati; Caritas International; the Knights of Malta, Mainz, Germany; the Hilton Fund for Sisters; and other donors. Yet, the Romanian organizations running the various components of the program–the Sisters of the Mother of God, Caritas Bucharest, and others–need additional funds to care for the children and to enhance their programs. Monetary gifts, donated supplies, and training assistance for Romanian physicians, nurses, and technicians are needed.
'Many things accomplished here'
Reflecting on the founding and implementation of the project, those involved
with the Nameless Children efforts said many people–including themselves–were
transformed by the Catholic health ministry's aid.
"I have always marveled at the generosity of the member institutions of CHA," said Sr. Anita. "The Romanian project was completely outside the scope of CHA charges. Yet, because of that support, many things were accomplished here that the Romanian Catholic Church could not begin."
Fredricks agreed, saying, "All of this was made possible by the generosity of CHA hospitals, foundations, and individuals."
Through the Nameless Children of Romania project, the Catholic health ministry funded:
 | Two group homes in Cluj, Romania. These facilities, each of which houses about 10 children at a time, aim to return children to their families, place them in foster care, or arrange their adoption. |
| A pavilion at a rehabilitation facility in Budimex, Bucharest. Thousands of disabled children have received care in the wing in the past decade. |
| A school for youths with Down's syndrome, the first facility of its kind in Romania. Located in Bucharest, the site serves up to 30 children at a time. |
| Two orthotics labs, which provide shoes, braces, crutches, wheelchairs, and other equipment to underserved children. |
| A day program for disabled children. |
| Recruitment and training of clinicians to staff the facilities. |
| Supplies and equipment for use at the sites. |
The ministries supporting the Nameless Children of Romania continue to seek funding, equipment and supplies, and clinician training assistance. Those interested in providing support can contact Fr. Alexandru Cobzaru, executive director, Caritas Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania, at or David Sauer, special assistant to the Catholic Medical Mission Board, at 262-790-5228.