The story of Second Chance is the manifestation of how a simple and honest thought can change the destiny of a people – how only a few are able to do so much for so many. It marks the transition of a country shedding off the burden of its old days and emerging in a new garb of empowerment. It is about hope - of achieving the end that we aspire for in the beginning. Listening to Cosmina, I understood the wisdom of the words that I have heard so many times, words that say that God does not change the condition of a people unless they struggle to change themselves.
“I belong to Berceni which is 10 km away from Ploiesti. It is actually a cluster of 5 villages with a population of 6500 people. My parents were divorced and I kind of grew up in the church. After studying at the local school, I completed my high school in Ploiesti and later graduated with a degree in Tourism from Brasov University. I looked for a good job but they were all poorly paid. I am used to working. I have done it all my life, since I was a child, usually for a pittance. It was no longer enough. Meanwhile I had got married and moved to Bucharest. I had to explore alternative job options if I was to survive. My search ended when I began working with an American/ Swiss family – the Blattlers - as help, in 2002.
One morning, while sitting down to have coffee with Sarah Blattler, I told her about my village. Christmas was approaching and I mentioned that my mother and grandfather always shared all their food with another family from the village who did not have enough. This year since I was earning a good salary I wanted to help another two with my own money. I felt I owed them to share my good fortune. Sarah thought this a good idea and wanted to contribute. This was the beginning. Sarah and I planned to collect food and gifts for children for at least 6 families that year. Sarah told her mother who lived in the states of her plans, adding that this year they would not be receiving presents from her since it was all going in helping others who needed them more. Her mother in turn mentioned it to her friends and as a result, we were able to arrange a special Christmas for 40 families that year.’
What started as a feast for a few is today an annual extravaganza catering for some 600 people who are on the Social Support list in Bercini. A team of volunteers are funded by several donors plan and organize it. Cosmina genuinely believes that the rural people are very special. To her they are more simple and honest than any other. And so deserve a chance. On Sarah’s convincing they registered as a Foundation and so Second Chance came to be.
It reminded me of a lady in Islamabad, Pakistan. In the month of fasting, the Ramadan, she began with serving food to the guards in her lane who work for the foreign diplomats. They were only a few to start with but within the last couple of years ago some 600 people come to her house to partake of a meal that is fit for the very best. A staff of 5 people purchase and prepare food for them every single day for a month, and many contribute selflessly. I had the privilege of witnessing the preparation myself. It bought tears to my eyes.
But Christmas party is not all that Second Chance is about. If Poverty is to be alleviated, the charity realizes that they had to do much more. Some 175 families are very poor. They are deprived and often find little to brighten their lives. They lack the skills to earn enough to make ends meet. Even the most basic needs are not being fulfilled. In the winters the situation becomes desperate. The children have no shoes for winters nor sufficient food or clothing. The old do not leave their homes for they are ill equipped to handle the cold in winters. They usually have no one to look after them and very little to do otherwise. Proper shelter is also not always there.
As we have seen it is only the sincerity of intention that has made this initiative successful. In fact it is unimaginable how far it has come in so few years. Today, a group of volunteers from the international community and locals are working together to generate funds in order to satisfy the various needs of this community like renovating the schools, building playgrounds, a senior centre for elders etc. But most importantly they are teaching the locals to become self reliant. They are working closely to help equip them with skills and subsequent marketing of their goods to help them become self employed and self reliant. Second chance is working closely with Unicef, IWA, Acasa Foundation, and Light into Europe. They are funded by Metro, Romtelecom, Vodaphone, Coca cola, Campina among others but while I was sitting with Cosmina a phone call came to inform her that one of their main donors could not support them for the Christmas party this year. These hiccups require constant work for the volunteers.
It has always been the way with Second Chance that as soon as the money comes in they set about using it immediately and children are a key priority. They started with renovating the Kindergarten. I was told that the first time the carpet was laid out for the very young kids, they took off their shoes and began rolling over it in excitement. It was a most rewarding sight. The teachers and volunteers enthusiastically cooked food for the workers and helped with almost everything for nothing, even staying longer hours than was expected. This will to self help is the key to success.
I realized the importance of an insider when Cosmina told me how she had insisted on having toilets built inside. Others had felt that it was not as important as other things. However, she recalled from her own experience how desperately it was needed – as a child in the school she would hold for hours for fear of going out in the cold to the toilets – basically two holes in the ground outside. It was also imperative to teach children the most basic rules of hygiene and for that having an indoor toilet was necessary. The middle school has 350 students so the first toilet was made for them and then recently, another has been made for the younger ones. However, two are not enough and there is need for more.
She also recounted how difficult it had been to go every day to Ploiest to attend high school. As teenagers they had to walk three km and then change several trams to reach their destination. Imagine what it would have been like in winters! As a result not many went. Maybe one day soon they can have a bus?
Nothing seems improbable any more. Second chance has had many friends and benefactors who have carried on the initial spirit. The ex patriot wives have made a great contribution. Within the community the volunteers have been many. And most important the people have learnt to help themselves. People have realized that they must help each other for it actually means helping oneself. In other words that Goodness has a ripple effect. This is why when ( later) a woman who always came forward to help them suffered when her house was burnt down in an accident the foundation helped her rebuilt it. The Mayor works side by side with them, footing some expenses while they chip in the rest.
It is with the help of another expat lady that a group of expatriot wives came to the village and taught the skill of mosaic, sewing, and art decorations to 6 unemployed women in Bercini. These women are exclusively employed now, catering for orders in Romania,( you will find them in Hilton hotel and in café Amsterdam) and to Holland,( in 8 shops) and Denmark, and US. They even make special mementos for co-operations on order. Interestingly, there was a demand in the international community for different kind of costumes for children which was supplied by the cottage industry. As more amd more orders come in, it is hoped that more people will get engaged and so hep themselves. It is also under this programme that they are looking into acquiring land with a grant from the Dutch government for mushroom farming. The produce is expected to sell in the local market and will find employment for some 40 people.
Second Chance found a Dutch friend who has helped them over the years. Several families on her encouragement came by train to live and work with the villagers. They helped put in a small playground and fix the roof on the kindergarten. This built confidence in the people. Incidentally, there was a young girl who had suffered from a crippling disability. Nicolette Mak, the dutch lady helped her get an artificial limb. She can run now. Life holds a different connotation for her.
As for the Senior citizens, in the adjoining village of Corlatesti, with the help of the Mayor and a Church in Switzerland they have set up a meeting room for them. Here they can wile away cheerful hours with friends over a cup of tea and biscuits. Contrary to expectation some eighty people frequent the place in shifts since there is not room enough to accommodate them all at once. Hence the need for a bigger space for which plans are being drawn. The land has been acquired but there is need for more funds to construct the Centre. It is intended to house the Second Chance workshop as well which alone will create 10 more job opportunities.
In order to occupy them productively and build self esteem the elders were given charity clothes to sell. It turned out to be a great idea. Each cleaned and ironed their share of load and collectively they organized a sale. The money they collected was a major boast to their morale. And it was most touching when they all donated a total of a hundred euros for the annual Christmas party.
This selfless giving has been the hall mark of Second Chance right from its conception till this day. Though so much remains to be done, it no longer seems improbable.
“I belong to Berceni which is 10 km away from Ploiesti. It is actually a cluster of 5 villages with a population of 6500 people. My parents were divorced and I kind of grew up in the church. After studying at the local school, I completed my high school in Ploiesti and later graduated with a degree in Tourism from Brasov University. I looked for a good job but they were all poorly paid. I am used to working. I have done it all my life, since I was a child, usually for a pittance. It was no longer enough. Meanwhile I had got married and moved to Bucharest. I had to explore alternative job options if I was to survive. My search ended when I began working with an American/ Swiss family – the Blattlers - as help, in 2002.
One morning, while sitting down to have coffee with Sarah Blattler, I told her about my village. Christmas was approaching and I mentioned that my mother and grandfather always shared all their food with another family from the village who did not have enough. This year since I was earning a good salary I wanted to help another two with my own money. I felt I owed them to share my good fortune. Sarah thought this a good idea and wanted to contribute. This was the beginning. Sarah and I planned to collect food and gifts for children for at least 6 families that year. Sarah told her mother who lived in the states of her plans, adding that this year they would not be receiving presents from her since it was all going in helping others who needed them more. Her mother in turn mentioned it to her friends and as a result, we were able to arrange a special Christmas for 40 families that year.’
What started as a feast for a few is today an annual extravaganza catering for some 600 people who are on the Social Support list in Bercini. A team of volunteers are funded by several donors plan and organize it. Cosmina genuinely believes that the rural people are very special. To her they are more simple and honest than any other. And so deserve a chance. On Sarah’s convincing they registered as a Foundation and so Second Chance came to be.
It reminded me of a lady in Islamabad, Pakistan. In the month of fasting, the Ramadan, she began with serving food to the guards in her lane who work for the foreign diplomats. They were only a few to start with but within the last couple of years ago some 600 people come to her house to partake of a meal that is fit for the very best. A staff of 5 people purchase and prepare food for them every single day for a month, and many contribute selflessly. I had the privilege of witnessing the preparation myself. It bought tears to my eyes.
But Christmas party is not all that Second Chance is about. If Poverty is to be alleviated, the charity realizes that they had to do much more. Some 175 families are very poor. They are deprived and often find little to brighten their lives. They lack the skills to earn enough to make ends meet. Even the most basic needs are not being fulfilled. In the winters the situation becomes desperate. The children have no shoes for winters nor sufficient food or clothing. The old do not leave their homes for they are ill equipped to handle the cold in winters. They usually have no one to look after them and very little to do otherwise. Proper shelter is also not always there.
As we have seen it is only the sincerity of intention that has made this initiative successful. In fact it is unimaginable how far it has come in so few years. Today, a group of volunteers from the international community and locals are working together to generate funds in order to satisfy the various needs of this community like renovating the schools, building playgrounds, a senior centre for elders etc. But most importantly they are teaching the locals to become self reliant. They are working closely to help equip them with skills and subsequent marketing of their goods to help them become self employed and self reliant. Second chance is working closely with Unicef, IWA, Acasa Foundation, and Light into Europe. They are funded by Metro, Romtelecom, Vodaphone, Coca cola, Campina among others but while I was sitting with Cosmina a phone call came to inform her that one of their main donors could not support them for the Christmas party this year. These hiccups require constant work for the volunteers.
It has always been the way with Second Chance that as soon as the money comes in they set about using it immediately and children are a key priority. They started with renovating the Kindergarten. I was told that the first time the carpet was laid out for the very young kids, they took off their shoes and began rolling over it in excitement. It was a most rewarding sight. The teachers and volunteers enthusiastically cooked food for the workers and helped with almost everything for nothing, even staying longer hours than was expected. This will to self help is the key to success.
I realized the importance of an insider when Cosmina told me how she had insisted on having toilets built inside. Others had felt that it was not as important as other things. However, she recalled from her own experience how desperately it was needed – as a child in the school she would hold for hours for fear of going out in the cold to the toilets – basically two holes in the ground outside. It was also imperative to teach children the most basic rules of hygiene and for that having an indoor toilet was necessary. The middle school has 350 students so the first toilet was made for them and then recently, another has been made for the younger ones. However, two are not enough and there is need for more.
She also recounted how difficult it had been to go every day to Ploiest to attend high school. As teenagers they had to walk three km and then change several trams to reach their destination. Imagine what it would have been like in winters! As a result not many went. Maybe one day soon they can have a bus?
Nothing seems improbable any more. Second chance has had many friends and benefactors who have carried on the initial spirit. The ex patriot wives have made a great contribution. Within the community the volunteers have been many. And most important the people have learnt to help themselves. People have realized that they must help each other for it actually means helping oneself. In other words that Goodness has a ripple effect. This is why when ( later) a woman who always came forward to help them suffered when her house was burnt down in an accident the foundation helped her rebuilt it. The Mayor works side by side with them, footing some expenses while they chip in the rest.
It is with the help of another expat lady that a group of expatriot wives came to the village and taught the skill of mosaic, sewing, and art decorations to 6 unemployed women in Bercini. These women are exclusively employed now, catering for orders in Romania,( you will find them in Hilton hotel and in café Amsterdam) and to Holland,( in 8 shops) and Denmark, and US. They even make special mementos for co-operations on order. Interestingly, there was a demand in the international community for different kind of costumes for children which was supplied by the cottage industry. As more amd more orders come in, it is hoped that more people will get engaged and so hep themselves. It is also under this programme that they are looking into acquiring land with a grant from the Dutch government for mushroom farming. The produce is expected to sell in the local market and will find employment for some 40 people.
Second Chance found a Dutch friend who has helped them over the years. Several families on her encouragement came by train to live and work with the villagers. They helped put in a small playground and fix the roof on the kindergarten. This built confidence in the people. Incidentally, there was a young girl who had suffered from a crippling disability. Nicolette Mak, the dutch lady helped her get an artificial limb. She can run now. Life holds a different connotation for her.
As for the Senior citizens, in the adjoining village of Corlatesti, with the help of the Mayor and a Church in Switzerland they have set up a meeting room for them. Here they can wile away cheerful hours with friends over a cup of tea and biscuits. Contrary to expectation some eighty people frequent the place in shifts since there is not room enough to accommodate them all at once. Hence the need for a bigger space for which plans are being drawn. The land has been acquired but there is need for more funds to construct the Centre. It is intended to house the Second Chance workshop as well which alone will create 10 more job opportunities.
In order to occupy them productively and build self esteem the elders were given charity clothes to sell. It turned out to be a great idea. Each cleaned and ironed their share of load and collectively they organized a sale. The money they collected was a major boast to their morale. And it was most touching when they all donated a total of a hundred euros for the annual Christmas party.
This selfless giving has been the hall mark of Second Chance right from its conception till this day. Though so much remains to be done, it no longer seems improbable.
