The Association of parents with adult children suffering from mental disability «Speranţă şi Sănătate» (Hope and Health) exists since October 14, 2001 and was registered by the Ministry of Justice on November 01, 2001 (No1997/App.1). It was founded by parents whose children suffer from mental diseases.
In the Republic of Moldova the problem of young adults (older than 16) with mental diseases, that face difficulties in finding a place in the society is of utmost importance. After these people finished the specific schools they cannot find work and are therefore unable to subsist.
Our Association is the first and only open organization that provides help free of charge and is concerned with the adaptation of such people in society. It focuses on the provision of social services to these people. Taking into account their sheer number (more than 15,000 only in Chisinau), the problem is especially virulent as they are the poorest group in society.
The major tasks of our Association are:
– to work out the necessary skills of self-service in a daily life;
– to teach professional skills in accordance with their individual development and possibilities;
– to support and consult their guardians.
For the realization of these tasks the Association opened a rehabilitation center for mentally disabled people by the support of the Association “Acasă” and a Dutch organization “Janivo”. In the rehabilitation centre they are trained to do house work (cleaning, washing dishes, etc.), they learn some basic school curricula (grammar, mathematics, geography, etc.); they socialize and spend their free time. At the rehabilitation centre they are being taught to work with wood, paper and other natural materials. Furthermore they visit museums, exhibitions, historical places and develop some artistic skills. The center also includes a garden where the beneficiaries work, grow their own vegetables and fruits and care for domestic animals.
The Association activity is recognized by the state. The Parliament commission to the Ministry of Justice acknowledged our activity as being socially useful, confirmed in the certificate, dd. July 22, 2003 number 350/App. 2.
The City Council also sustains our activity. On the 17th of July 2004, by the decision 11/41-57, the City Council, together with the Department of Education, provided us with a building to open our rehabilitation centre (former kindergarten number 27). The building, located at Vasile Lupu Str. 81/2, was provided for a 3 year free lease period. On the expiration of the free lease period, the City Council decided to allow the association to use the building free of charge for another 25 years.
In the future we plan to open in this building: a) workshops for men and women; b) a health center for disabled people with complex pathology; c) a dormitory for those left without parents; d) a fitness center; e) an auditorium for performances.
