Annual Report 2018
Table of Contents
Page
Messages for the Network
3
About us
6
Network structures
7
Trainings and Education in TON
8-11
Members’ activities
12-19
Projects
20-25
Future Projects
26-27
Intervention activities
28-31
Heroes
32-33
Cooperation
34-39
Resources
40
Membership
41
Fundraising
42
How we work
42
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Annual Report | 2018
Message from our President
Jozef Goebels, President of The Open Network for Community Development Foundation and ADR -Vlaanderen
Dear TON members and sympathizers,
In 2018, we celebrated 100 years of Romania. ADRVlaanderen and I are privileged witnesses of the last 30 years of this centenary. On this anniversary, I would like to wish Romania on behalf of ADR-Vlaanderen to have a good leadership and entrepreneurial spirit, both equally important for the further development of the country in the interest of all inhabitants, especially also in rural areas.
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Messages for the Network
Both ADR and TON networks are important tools to help shape the further development of Romania throughout interpersonal contacts and in the spirit of solidarity. With many thanks to all enthusiastic collaborators and believers in Belgium and Romania, but also in other countries where we work with. Up to another inspiring year, 2019 were we celebrate 30 year of ADR-Vlaanderen and the start of many Romanian-Belgian collaborations and twinning.
Annual Report | 2018
Messages for the Network
Messages from Embassies Thomas Baekelandt, Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Bucharest
Decentralized cooperation is an important driver for the development of Romanian-Belgian bilateral relations. It has been so over the last three decades and I am confident it will continue to be in the future. At the Embassy of Romania in the Kingdom of Belgium, we have constantly highlighted the uniqueness of this type of cooperation, which has instilled our relations with a special character. At first, an exercise of solidarity, for which Romania continues to be extremely grateful, our decentralized cooperation has developed into structured and coherent collaboration, between civil society and public institutions.
One will read in this yearly report 2018 of The Open Network for Community Development Foundation (TON) that the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Bucharest is a great supporter of the activities of TON in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. It is indeed an honour and a pleasure to work with an organization with a big heart and lots of enthusiasm for the development of community activities. This engagement of TON Foundation is part and parcel of a basic democratic structure and is an example of a people to people diplomacy between Belgium and Romania. It is important to understand that one can take responsibilities to make things happen in services to the community, be it care for the sick, help for the needy or engagement of the young. And TON gives an important impulse in this noble endeavour. The support of the Embassy will continue in 2019, also during the Belgian week in Iași in April, and the Decentralized Forum in Timișoara in October.
I firmly believe that The Open Network for Community Development Foundation (TON), has been all these years, and will remain, an active partner in supporting decentralized cooperation between Romania and Belgium. I would like to congratulate all the TON staff and volunteers for their relentless efforts in creating people-to-people contacts, and more than this, strong bridges between communities in our two countries.
Dragoș Bănescu Head of Diplomatic Mission Embassy of Romania in the Kingdom of Belgium
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Annual Report | 2018
Message from our Executive Director
Messages for the Network
About us We design for 2019 new beautiful projects with a lot of love for people and places, all of them for a ‘Solidary Romania’. Be connected in the TON Network also in 2019 and enjoy together with us, each of our activities.
Cristina Victoria Cherț, Executive Director
2018 was a year full of remarkable events at local, regional and national level for all the active structures within our network. Every member, each organizational leader has contributed to the development of their community, of their group/ organization to which it belongs, each member has brought an individual - a particularly important contribution to a better Romania. We are still in a full process of transformation, we are still trying new forms, we are still discovering catalytic resources for the development of our communities. We were glad to have you, our enthusiastic volunteers, your local and national experts, you - remarkable personalities in national and international public life. 6
The Foundation was born in April 2012 from a big desire to ensure the visibility, synergy and sustainability of the RomanianBelgian partnerships in the field of community development (active since 1989), as well as to develop the network through collaboration and experience exchanges with other national and/ or international organizations focused on community development in a broad context. We are a Network of people for people and for Romanian communities, a non-profit organisation established by Romanian and Belgium partners. We bring together in a national network both: Romanian NGOs and informal groups established at local, regional or national level. Although different, all these structures have in common their establishment as a result of a Romanian-Belgian partnership and/or their orientation towards local community’s needs. Each member organisation/informal group has its own agenda (it’s recommended an annual plan of activities) and organises at least an activity per month (Fundraising for various activities in the community; Social Campaigns/Charities; Projects and contests; Information sessions/Personal development/Workshops and events; Exchange of experiences/Excursions).
Annual Report | 2018
Network structures Local Women Organisation (OLF) is an informal or formal group (association) of women from a community that implements activities leading to personal development of members and/or the development of the community. At national level, we have 22 OLF member groups. Local Men Organisation (OLB) is an informal or formal group (association) of men from a community that implements activities leading to personal development of members and/or the development of the community. At national level, we have 14 OLB member groups. Local Youth Organisation (OLT) is an informal or formal group (association) of youth that is encouraged by adults from the same community from school, to meet and to organize activities for the local community and for the personal development of each participant. It is recommended that each group have an adult of support. OLTs are parts (or not) of one of the two umbrellas members in TON: Local Youth Groups Association - AGLT (37 groups) and Together Everyone Achieves More Association TEAM (31 groups). These umbrellas are national organizations. Local Development Committee (CDL) is a group of citizens who, through their common work (in a group or in an informal association) aim to develop a sustainable community.
Messages for the Network
Each CDL develops its own logo and function as an independent body within TON Foundation. In a CDL can be involved anyone from the community who wants to invest time, energy and expertise to contribute to her/his community sustainable development. A CLD can develop a variety of activities taking into account the priorities and needs of their community, receiving support from the TON Foundation for models of social organization in different areas of development, such as: community development, health (CLS, ADAM), tourism (social), development of civil society (OLF, OLB and OLT), education programs (workshops, training, entrepreneurship) etc.. 14 such structures are members of the TON Network. Local Health Committee (CLS) is a formal or an informal group constituted by Community representatives persons, which primarily aims to increase the health level of the community members through integrated actions (punctual local initiatives to change health policies). CLS is a multidisciplinary working group but does not develop any medical activity. When a CLS is authorized to develop medical action, turns his statute into an ADAM. There are 4 such structures in The Open Network. The Mutual Help Association (ADAM) is a non-profit organization that provides medical and social services at community level, based on the identified needs of its members. Each ADAM has a very strong structure (associative), enhanced by the development of OLF, OLB and OLT and the implementation of socio-medical activities. The most important concepts that are developed in an ADAM are: medical and social services of high quality; services affordable for community members; solidarity; mutual respect and volunteering. At this point, we count 3 members of the ADAM in The Open Network. 7
Spring regional trainings under the TON Umbrella After 5 years of organizing dozens of training, some would say there should be no more emotion when you organize them. Nevertheless, we feel them every time. Moreover, we feel them, because we see how year after year our network grows and grows nicely. Regional trainings are each year a moment of joy for all members of the TON Foundation. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and a moment to create plans for the future.
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In 2018, we started later, but we have done 11 successful trainings: May 9th, at Hodora, Cotnari Commune, Iași County, in partnership with ‘Împreună Schimbăm Hodora-CLD’ Association; May 11th-12th, in Slatina-Timiş, Caraș-Severin County, in partnership with OLF and ADAM Slatina-Timiş; May 13th, Chiojdeni, Vrancea County, in partnership with OLF Chiojdeni and Asociația pentru Dezvoltare Socială, Educațională și Locală Dumitrești - ADSEL Dumitrești; May 18th-19th, in Slatina-Timiş, Caraș-Severin County, in partnership with OLB and ADAM Slatina-Timiş; May 19th, in Cehu-Silvaniei, Sălaj County, in partnership with the Asociația pentru Dezvoltare Locală Cehu-Silvaniei (ADL CehuSilvaniei); May 25th-26th, in Slatina-Timiş, Caraș-Severin County, in partnership with ADAM Slatina-Timiş; May 26th, in Moldovița, Suceava County, in partnership with the Proiect Pro Europa Association and ADAM Moldovița; June 2nd, in Şimian, Mehedinţi County, in partnership with OLF Club Anima Drobeta-Turnu Severin; June 3rd, at Poieniţa, Dumitreşti, Vrancea County, in partnership with OLF and OLB Poienița; June 7th, in Gârliciu, Constanța County, in partnership with CDL Gârliciu; June 23rd, in Coman, Bacău County, in partnership with OLF Poienița, ADSEL Dumitrești and OLF Coman.
Annual Report | 2018
We did not even feel the time spent on the activity. Running the proposed themes ‘Social organizations under the umbrella of solidarity. Mutual relations between grassroots organizations/VIZIDOM’ and ‘Local Identity – part of the National Heritage’, we have realized that Lucian Blaga's words ‘eternity was born in the village’ are very true and up-to-date. Proof?! Many volunteers who, having renounced their free time, participated in our activity with love, with a sense of responsibility and competence on their free day. VIZIDOM, the first discussed topic, was treated with great seriousness. Photos from the Home Care Project – ‘Active Rural Communities in the Provision and Monitoring of Home Care Services - Increased access to home-based medical and social services for the elderly in 5 rural communities’ were presented. The project was carried out at national level, respectively in 5 rural communities from 5 regions of Romania. The pilot communities were: Buneşti - Braşov County, Batăr - Bihor County, Armeniş Caraș-Severin County, Moldoviţa - Suceava County, Dumitreşti - Vrancea County. Other TON member communities - ex. Cotnari-Hodora from Iași County or Berbeşti and Lăpuşata in Vâlcea County have shown their interest in developing home care services. We reviewed the pictures where the happy faces of the elderly were seen, who were pleased that they were not forgotten and given a helping hand to have a better life. This is how important VIZIDOM is for people in distress, the elderly, the sick and the need for central and local authorities to get more involved in implementing home care and palliative care projects.
Trainings and Education in TON
In the second part of the training was discussed the ‘Local Identity’ and its contribution to the national heritage. It has been understood that the local identity is the pride of belonging to a community, with a certain tradition, with some local heritage values that complete the national patrimony. Local identity should lead to a strong, responsible local community that will be involved in the development of living standards in that locality. Together, our volunteers they defined the term of local identity, bringing examples from different fields: culinary, traditions, local crafts, typical words and expressions. It was a true dialogue between generations, because, both adults from member organizations and young people from Local Youth Organizations participated in the training. We have gladly remarked that young participants are proud to continue the traditions learned from parents and grandparents. Thanks to the present ‘big hearted’ people, the training took place in a pleasant, interactive way, all those present attending the discussions, forming working teams and sharing ideas that can be put into practice in their own organizations. We sincerely thank those who believe in us, all those who have responded to our invitation, we thank the volunteers for their support; we thank the partner organizations, our welcoming hosts and especially the TON Open Network Trainers for their effort and involvement! We wish to all our members: many good actions and development in regards with unison expressed ambitions at these trainings.
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Annual Report | 2018
Trainings and Education in TON
6 years of TON celebrated in Slatina-Timiş Slatina-Timiş was again the place where memories turned into stories. New exceptional activities took place at the TONNE National Meeting (27 -29 July 2018, Slatina-Timiş, Caraș-Severin County). Last year in 2018, we had six years celebration and the meeting was a special one. The event was organized in partnership with ADAM Slatina-Timiş (ADAMS), ADAM Moldovița and ADR-Vlaanderen (Belgium). Along with the Romanian and Belgian members, participants from Bulgaria, Poland and Belgium joined the activities that took part in ADAMS with the occasion of the PROtect project – ‘Promoting traditions by hand craftsmanship’.
During the 2 days of work, about 80 participants worked together on different departments of interest, the focus of the meeting being ‘Working in the TON Network’. TON Trainers have developed unique methods (exercises and tools) that helped participants to grow the spirit of TON Network membership. 10
Ioan Suru, Cristina Vladu and Jozef Goebels conducted the Health Department Workshop. The workshop theme was ‘Healthy Communities in Romania through Mutual Solidarity and Health Organizations. TON Unique Model’. An assessment of the home care activities status was made, were discussed all challenges faced by TON members in carrying out activities in their communities of affiliation, and the projects under time of approval were discussed. At the activities was also invited Mr Cosmin Trotea, consultant icMED. He introduced us the innovative, easily accessible concept based on the interconnection of medical practices. The icMED software solution was created to provide the necessary medical and administrative support for medical professionals including medical practices, diagnostic centers, clinics and hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies. Daniela Ceredeev took care of the workshop of the Local Women's Organizations (OLF), ensuring the work between the TON members and the participants in the PROtect project. After a brief presentation of the project, the participants jointly, developed an international workshop on entrepreneurship and handicraft workshops (supported by international trainers).
Annual Report | 2018
ADAM Moldovița, the coordinator of the project PROtect, together with ADAM Slatina-Timiş (the Romanian partner) intends into project to: promote local traditions and craftsmanship, to increase women's self-esteem, to promote social inclusion and to protect people of exclusion and shortcomings offering an alternative through entrepreneurial activities. Another objective of the project is to protect the partnership between the Romanian-Belgian organizations and to promote it as an example of good practice for other communities. Participants from CDL, OLB and OLT worked together, being animated in discussions by Dan Ceredeev, Maria Prutieanu and Cristina Cherț. The topic of the workshop was one: ‘The tasks of social organizations in the community’. The participants were invited to debates, exchanged ideas and had the opportunity to get to know each other better. Exponential activities have been told and advice has been given to the development of groups and members. The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Romania, His Excellency Mr Thomas Baekelandt, has given us the special honour of joining our meeting and contributing to the celebration of the six-year results of the Open Network for Community Development Foundation. His Excellency made us a surprise with the GTG 3010 Collective Association, inviting to our meeting the Theatre Company for Children and Teenagers from Bucharest. The young actors made us a representation of the play ‘Fighting between Water and Fire’.
Trainings and Education in TON
It was more than just a show; it was a lesson of survival in case of a fire. We thank them for this dangers awareness way and the formation in preventive behaviour. Each group worked on joint projects in the network, identified network opportunities and future project partners, and we had a session presenting the conclusions of the whole working day. We celebrated at the end of the day 6 years of work and growth in the TON Network with birthday cake and music, but especially with an invitation to dialogue and collaboration among groups’ members. Thanks ADAM Slatina-Timiş for organizing this event. Each time you have filled us with positive energy and with the desire that the next years we will be hosts. Thanks to volunteers for involvement, and support for tasty food. We thank all the participants for their enthusiasm and good mood. We thank the Belgian partners for their efforts and because they have been with us this year too.
The event created a context in which our members were able to share experiences, gain new knowledge and new ways of interaction, teaching and personal development through all the trainings involved.
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Members’ Activities
‘Împreună schimbăm Hodora - CLD’ Association Web: www.facebook.com/impreunaschimbamhodora Retirement Persons Club in Hodora November 11th, 2018 was the start of the Retirement Club for ‘Împreună schimbăm Hodora - CLD’ Association. The first meeting in ‘grandmother's room’ brought together volunteers, representatives of local public authorities, schools, and members of neighbouring communities. Irina Tășală, the association coordinator, considers that it is, until now, the most important and far-reaching community development project initiated by the association. ‘Grandmother's room’ is a place for socializing and recreation for seniors in Hodora village, Cotnari Commune, Iași County. The space is decorated with old traditional objects, donated by the elders of the commune. It is a place for intergenerational meetings, where seniors are expected to share to the youngest from their life experiences, play games together, and is a reason for meeting people from the community. We congratulate the involvement of volunteers, grandparents who have ensured the success of the action and all those who have made it possible. We are sure that the club members are grateful to them in every meeting.
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Members’ Activities
Annual Report | 2018
Asociația De Ajutor Mutual Slatina-Timiș (ADAMS) Web: www.facebook.com/adam.slatinatimis
Centrul de Resurse și Consultanță în Educație (CRCE) Web: www.facebook.com/crceromania
ADAM Slatina-Timiș entered the era of ‘Telemedicine’ ADAMS expanded its range of services to patients, giving as such better respond to the specific needs of health problems of its members and patients in general. The new service is an ECG device, whereby the electrocardiogram can be transmitted digitally via the internet to cardiologists from Caransebeș and the hospital of Reşiţa. They assess this ECG ‘in real time’ and make the diagnosis: telecardiology.
New Open Methods for Lifelong Learning The year 2018 was a full year of activities under the Erasmus+ Program, KA2 for Centrul de Resurse și Consultanță în Educație (CRCE). These projects respond to CRCE’s European Development Strategy because it represents local action through an international partnership.
What are the concrete possibilities of such a computerized ECG device? - Perform ECG measurements in the ADAMS medical centre; - Perform ECG measurements at the patient's home; - Keep these measurements/information and send it electronically to the cardiologist; - The ability to view and assess the ECG’s by the cardiologist (remotely). The medical staff of ADAMS will therefore be able to inform the patient directly about his condition and the necessary treatments or admission, in consultation with the cardiologist. By enabling a better access to services (i.e. patients do not need to commute and queue in town for specialist doctors), telemedicine makes a substantial contribution to the quality of medical care, to the improved health status of the population and to the reduction of the costs of this care. Further advocacy is needed with decision makers to reimburse these services, especially for specialist doctors who now are volunteering to read the ECG’s. ADAMS collected the money for this new ECG during TONNE 6; trough sponsoring from their Belgian partner in Geel; and by investing themselves.
Our European population that is going older, the technology that is advancing in a rapid rate for a developing society, the working conditions and the structures we live in, all of these, are the factors that create difficulties, especially to those with a low socio-economic level, to those in difficulty. Within projects, we believe in the power to participate in education. Partnerships have been built on the fact that the role of education is becoming more and more relevant to every citizen. Examples of citizens' involvement are being sought within the project ‘Scie-Citizens - Evaluating Bridges between science, education and society’. We want to identify an innovative methodology, the Citizens' Science approach, which involves both top-down but as well from grass -roots level learners and citizens to be involved in research and science. ‘Scie-Citizens’ is a two-year Erasmus+ project, during which the seven partners are aiming to remove boundaries within the educational sector and to enable open, new methods for lifelong learning. The mission of ‘Scie-Citizens’ project is to promote civil science through knowledge sharing, cooperation and capacity building.
After the introduction, July 2018, in total 37 ECG’s were taken, of which 16 were sent to a cardiologist and another 21 could be judged on place. 13
Members’ Activities
Annual Report | 2018
Asociația pentru Dezvoltare Socială, Educațională și Locală Dumitrești (ADSEL Dumitrești) Web: www.adseldumitresti.wordpress.com
Limburgs Platform Roemeniëwerkingen Web: www.facebook.com/limburgsplatform.roemeniewerking
Health advices On June 10th, Asociația pentru Dezvoltare Socială, Educațională și Locală Dumitrești (ADSEL Dumitrești) visited the members of OLF Poieniţa. The idea of this collaboration was received with great joy given that most OLF Poieniţa volunteers, being elderly, have health problems in general and blood pressure in particular.
Sweet results of the PROtect project Limburgs Platform Roemeniëwerkingen began in September 2017, along with a group of volunteers, activities under the Erasmus + project ‘PROtect - Promote traditions through handmade crafts’.
The volunteers of the association went with health advices. The advice of Mrs. Mariana Stănilă regarding the preservation of health, especially for the hot temperature period, was welcomed. The appointment was auspicious because everyone was able to measure blood pressure, receive good advice if needed, and a small souvenir. The natural framework in which the work, socialization and collaboration took place, demonstrated that, being under the umbrella of the TON Foundation, regardless of the age and theme proposed, the members are willing for a new gathering.
Over the past few months, they have learned together to make chocolate in a traditional way. With the arrival of the holidays, the time has come to give everyone the chance to taste these delights of chocolate and marzipan. TON and ADR members were invited to make a sweet order. Only those who have not tasted these sweet splendor do not know what the dangling hands have the LimPro volunteers, and how much soul they put in everything they do.
CDL Jitia World Cleanup Day in Jitia Let’s do it, Romania! World Cleanup Day is an event at its sixth edition in Jitia. This day was celebrated in the framework of the ‘National Cleanup Day 2018’ organized by ‘Viitorul în zori’ Association in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education. Volunteers from CDL Jitia have joined all who are in this great project. Along with CDL Jitia volunteers, local students participated in a cleaning activity in the commune's center marking this great day.
All the hearts vibrated in unison out of love for nature and all the participants said they wanted to live in a clean and healthy environment! It is in our power, of all, to preserve and to be an example to those around us. 14
Members’ Activities
Annual Report | 2018
OLF Chiojdeni
Visited by Saint Nicholas The members of OLF Chiojdeni wanted to bring the smile on the faces of the children. And what better day for this opportunity could be if not - December 6th, the day when Saint Nicholas comes to the good kids and rewards them with sweet gifts? Thus, 37 primary school pupils from the Chiojdeni Gymnasium School were surprised during the classes’ hours because they were ‘visited’ again this year by Saint Nicholas, who came with packages full of sweets. They barely had the patience to get together for a photo. Their smiles were enough for the volunteers to know that their effort was appreciated.
CDL Bordești The magic of Christmas celebrated at CDL Bordești Demonstrating that the magic of Christmas encompasses each of us, the CDL Bordești members have come together to celebrate the coming of the holidays. They have made Christmas trees of colourful paper that they have arranged in a wonderful model representing the magical season of winter. The members showed a lot of creativity and aesthetic sense, demonstrating once again that not only the young ones enjoy the coming of winter, but also the adults. Finally, after the work was done, a small reward has also arrived. Each member received greetings, served cakes, juice and coffee, and spent wonderful minutes telling stories about winter and childhood celebrations and singing carols.
Asociația EUROPANET Web: www.facebook.com/europanetassociation Together for inclusion at school
EUROPANET Association is implementing ‘TWInS - Together Working for Inclusion at School’ project with seven partner organizations from Italy, Greece, UK and Portugal. The project is funded through Erasmus+, KA 3: Social Inclusion through Education, Training and Youth. The role of the project is to support schools in Europe in adopting an intercultural vision for the integration of disadvantaged children and the development of compensatory strategies for children with educational disabilities. The eight partner institutions are working on school inclusion and integration at a systemic level, considering that they are part of a process that is not a one-sided issue, but is a mutual enrichment of all the parties involved both subject and subject intervention. The primary objective is to accept diversity as a first value for opening the entire school community to diversity, to differences. We work on the inclusion of disadvantaged young people and / or those with special needs. The project is an improvement of the entire school system, fostering social dialogue and preventing discrimination and intolerance. With students, we will develop problem solving through creativity and transversality; in the school system together with the teachers we will work on developing skills, cultural development of the system and influencing the local community for individual and community involvement and well-being.
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Members’ Activities
Annual Report | 2018
Asociația De Ajutor Mutual Moldovița (ADAMM) Web: www.facebook.com/Adam-Moldovita PROtect network - people - communities; values - organizational culture; aspirations - strategies for sustainable development ADAM Moldoviţa had a year full of activities within the project ‘PROtect - Promote traditions through handmade crafts’ is an Erasmus+ project, KA2 dedicated to adult education. Into the project are involved 6 organizations from 4 different countries: Romania, Belgium, Poland and Bulgaria. The project addresses 90 women in rural or small communities who are part of or want to be part of women's organizations.
Objectives: establishing a European transnational dialog between women organizations through monthly practical workshops, transnational meetings and transnational learning activities; carrying out social inclusion activities and raising self-esteem, especially for women in rural areas where there are not enough jobs. During the year 2018, many workshops were held, organized periodically and according to their specific seasons and holidays, based on the ‘wheel of seasons’ method. Many similarities have been noted between the activities, techniques and materials used by each involved organization. In February 2018, a second transnational meeting was held in Bulgaria, Dositeevo for the management team, and in July in Romania, in SlatinaTimiș, in Caraș-Severin County, was held the first transnational learning activity for 24 beneficiaries. Within it, there were held practical workshops organized by each partner and theoretical learning activities having as theme notions of entrepreneurship. Also, a brochure was developed within the project containing similarities and differences between the main holidays in the countries involved in the project. Images and information about the activities carried out within the project can be found in the Facebook group dedicated to the project ‘PROTECT Erasmus KA2 project’. 16
Asociația pentru Dezvoltare Locală Cehu Silvaniei (ADL) Web: www.facebook.com/adi.cehu World Down Syndrome Day On March 21st, 2018, Asociația pentru Dezvoltare Locală Cehu Silvaniei (ADL) joined the ‘Down Sindrom’ Association in Cehu Silvaniei and celebrated World Down Syndrome Day, good moment to remind those invited about the rights of people affected by this condition, to benefit from normal life and to be active in the community. The event was at its XIIth edition and brought together, besides the children and young people who attend daily the centre of the village coming from Sălaj county and neighbouring counties, the staff who cares for their education, as well as guests - persons who over time have supported them - material or moral on these children and, implicitly, those who deal with them.
At the opening of the event, Ms. Nagy Elisabeta (President of Down Syndrome Association) thanked the guests for the constant support they offer and presented the steps taken to set up a centre where they can be supervised and cared (those affected), throughout the day and even at night in cases that require this. Currently, the centre only works in the first half of working days. Children and young people recited poems, played and then enjoyed the goodies specially prepared for them on this day. Finally, they received gifts from those that were present.
Annual Report | 2018
Asociația de Prietenie Crucea-Zoersel
Members’ Activities
Asociația Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM) Web: www.facebook.com/teamasociatia
Woman’s Day celebrated at Crucea, Suceava County
Volunteering and non-formal education have been rewarded
The OLFs from our country, from our TON Network, organize different events with and for women in the community. Each OLF-s puts into practice activities that lead to the personal development of the members of the association and/ or the development of the whole community. These activities include the celebration of beings who are always close to us.
More than 400 activities, thousands of hours of non-formal education, 345 of the most involved volunteers, parents, children, institutions, press people, rewarded. This was TEAM - Together Everyone Achieves More Associations' project on December 13, 2018, at the TEAM Volunteers' Gala, an event held in the Remus Opreanu Hall of the Constanța County Council. ‘Be the change you want to see in the world!’, this was the message that has governed their whole year. In a holiday atmosphere with wonderful people, together with HC Dobrogea Sud Constanța team, the participants enjoyed a quality time, outstanding artistic moments, and many great prizes offered by the sponsors and partners of this event.
Thus, with small but secure steps, with little resources and much courage, Asociația de Prietenie Crucea-Zoersel organized on March 8th a socializing meeting for women in their community. The women were very excited about the event, making an important contribution to organizing it, contributing with something sweetly prepared in the house, sharing ideas and recipes with this occasion. The 60 participants at this meeting, left home at the end of the event with a tombola gift, a flower and a wide smile on the lips. 17
Members’ Activities
Annual Report | 2018
OLF Poienița
OLF ANIMA Drobeta-Turnu Severin
VIZIDOM - 100 objects for 100 years
Preservation and promotion of local cultural and historical heritage
In honour of the Centenary, to pay tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Great Union, members of OLF and OLB Poienița have proposed to complement the collection of traditional objects in the area for the local museum under the slogan ’100 objects for 100 years’.
In Romania, in popular tradition, June month is called Cireșar (from cherry word). Cireșar's month opened the summer season for OLF ANIMA Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Cireșar's month is a moment of change, a month full of ancient traditions. That is why OLF ANIMA members wanted to recall through the actions taken, the importance of religious, cultural, or astrological moments.
Very receptive, OLF and OLB members have also sought through the dowry box among the objects preserved with great care. Every donation is something of a soul because it reminds them of the years of the parent's house, of the youth, of the parents, of the grandparents, of life that flows slowly but surely beside us.
But, besides the objects, we have also gathered many stories. Mrs. Miorica, aged 82, offered a towel –more than a century old, made by her grandmother. Mrs. Geanina, aged 51, donated the loom used by her ancestors (mother, grandmother and grandmother). The emotion was very strong because there was still a part of the warp from when she made the towels for her own wedding. With tears in her eyes, she told how she was weaving every day the afternoon after she came from school in the village at the age of 16-17. The visits have shown us that with every time and from every person we learn new. The unification of the nation and the country was achieved and preserved through these earth workers who remained here, despite the difficulties encountered. They passed on to the descendants what they had inherited: language, customs, traditions, popular port, belief and worship of heroes. That is how we find out who we were and who we are! 18
On June 21st is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, and on June 24th is celebrating the Saint John the Baptist birth. On the same day, good festivals are celebrated, the popular name of the holiday being Sânziene or Drăgaica. Therefore, women from OLF ANIMA gathered cured herbs and wheat spice and wove coronet, created bouquets, offered as gifts to those who gathered to enjoy the event.
They celebrated beautifully and with great joy, the day of ‘ie’ (traditional Romanian blouse) and the day of Sânziene, both Romanian traditional days. For several years, Sânziene day has been celebrated on the night of ‘open skies’, on June 24. The Universal Day of ‘ie’ celebrates the main piece of the Romanian folk costume, but also the idea of femininity, since the term ‘ie’ is exclusively attributed to women's popular blouse. In this way, they have maintained their goal set at the Regional Training organized under the umbrella of the TON Foundation. The one that preserves and promotes the local cultural and historical heritage, willingly and faithfully, as the beautiful city of the Danube, will start to be step by step back on the tourist map of the country, as it owns potential.
Members’ Activities
Annual Report | 2018
Asociația Grupurilor Locale de Tineret (AGLT) Web: www.facebook.com/AGLT.ORG
Asociația PROIECT PRO EUROPA Web: www.facebook.com/Asociaţia-Proiect-Pro-Europa
AGLT Tent Camp
’We care’ Moldovița Center
From August 17th-22th, 2018, AGLT in partnership with the Dăeni Gymnasium School conducted the AGLT Tent Camp.
The project ‘We care’ Moldovița Center, funded by eMAG Foundation, developed by Pro Europa Project Association in partnership with Technological High school ‘Vasile Cocea’ Moldovița, offered to 150 children from schools in Moldovița Commune a coherent, structured and complex program of alternative learning, remedial, teacherstudents mentoring type, student-pupils tutorial, counselling and coaching, personal and professional development and incentive for school resilience, centred on the individual training needs of each child.
The courses that participants could attend were socio-cultural animators and teambuilding. The trainers tried to share all their knowledge of animation and volunteering for young people in the camp, full of energy and excited to experience new things.
For 7 months, weekly, 20 interactive learning activities were organized in the two schools in the program, alternative, in non-formal learning, assisted learning activities and leisure time activities. Every month, 4 free-time leisure activities were organized, of Playing Day type, thematic, which celebrated outstanding events from the national and international calendar.
Adult volunteers from Dăeni have helped us, like every year, to build the camp and prepare meals. Our sponsors are ADR-Vlaanderen, SOMEPRO, local councils and entrepreneurs from the localities of the children/young participants. We thank this way for all those who, year after year, support us and are with the heart for AGLT volunteers.
Alternate learning has been proposed and developed in formal, nonformal and informal environment, learning methods have been permanently alternated and adapted as experimentation environments and the context for learning has been created in order for all participants to develop autonomy in learning, to experiment and discover their own area of interest (being surrounded by relevant resources, teachers and colleagues with whom to train continuously), to be inspired from the community, to create authentic relationships with others, to support each other, to develop their own short-term and long-term personal development projects, to become a small personal future strategist. 19
Projects
Development of Health Mutual organizations by FDAAM CM (Belgian Christian Mutuality) got involved in Romania as a result of a request from VZW Geels Roemeniëkomitee (Geel, Belgium) in 1998, to develop the project ‘Integrated Development project Slatina-Timiș’, financed by the Flemish government. The goal of this project was to set up local first line medical services in Slatina-Timiș, linked to a mutual organization or vice-versa. Therefore, ‘Asociația De Ajutor Mutual SlatinaTimiș’ (ADAM Slatina-Timiș) was created. In order to further spread out this project all over Romania, a national foundation ‘Fundația pentru Dezvoltarea Asociațiilor de Ajutor Mutual’ (FDAAM) was created as well in this project. On one hand, FDAAM, LCM (National Belgian Christian Mutuality), CM of region Mechelen-Turnhout and CM Brugge already collaborated with ADR-Vlaanderen and The Open Network for Community Development Foundation in Romania; on the other hand, they expressed their willingness for a closer collaboration and coordination with all involved partners and started discussions to set up collaboration with ADR/TON in 2017. The more because TON has been successfully supported several years by CM rM-T and created an extensive network as well in Belgium as in Romania. Ioan Suru (Executive Director ADAM Slatina-Timiș) and Jozef Goebels (president VZW Geels Roemeniëkomitee/ADRVlaanderen/The Open Network for Community Development Foundation and founder of FDAAM and ADAMS) presented a ‘Business Model further development of Health Mutual Organizations in Romania, supported by FDAAM’. 20
Projects
Annual Report | 2018
All parties agreed on this Business Model for 2018 and different collaboration contracts and financing contract were signed. Results of this first fruitful collaboration can be found in the annual report 2018 at the website of FDAAM. ‘In 2018, CM (National Federation of Christian Sickness Funds in Belgium) further supported Health Mutualistic projects in Rumania, through the federation FDAAM and in cooperation with TON. The regional CM sickness fund CM region Mechelen-Turnhout, supports ADAM Slatina-Timiș and Health Mutual initiatives in the neighbouring villages and cities. Further attention is given to volunteer work and prevention activities. CM Brugge gave in 2018 a financial support to ADAM Moldovița developing as well a social-medical center. The National Federation of Christian Sickness Funds LCM cooperates further with the Romanian Foundation FDAAM in order to build a national framework for the development of Health Mutual Organisations and movements in Romania. A first step was taken to develop a movement dealing with a ‘positive health approach’, also reaching out to other potential partners in Romanian society.’ - Jean-Pierre Descan, Director of the Department International Cooperation LCM
Dental care in the TON network: Dr Alexandru Stoian, dentist/orthodontist In 2018 we continued the preventive dental treatment and dental education in the villages Lăpușata, Cernișoara and Cuieni (Vâlcea County) and started on our own the development of a pioneer ‘Home Dental Care’ project. For the first time, we went home to patients that, due to different circumstances, are not able to leave their home and assured emergency dental treatments and teeth extractions. In Cuieni, dentist Raluca Capruciu and our assistant organized preventive check -up and dental education of the school kids. The school kids all got a bag with the logo of TON containing toothbrush, toothpaste and a flyer to inform the parents about home care and TON. When problems are detected, the kids and parents are asked for a further follow up. In our dental office of Lăpușata, we took care of about 100 children getting filling and sealing preventive treatments. In Cernișoara, Dr Stoian Alexandru having the European fund project approved started the refurbishment of the building and the local dental office. We intend to have the new dental office operational in August 2019. We intend to go further with informing and preparing our patients and their families for future homecare projects and continue with preventive dental treatment of children. We are open and happy to share our experience within The Open Network. 21
Annual Report | 2018
Social Map Moldova Nouă The purpose of this social map was to bring together information about Moldova Nouă (Caraș-Severin County) in order to find out the needs of the local community. It is based on: Quantitative data (statistics): for this reference can be made to the data available at the website of the Romanian National Institute for Statistics (www.insse.ro). Qualitative data (interviews, movies, focus groups…) This social mapping results in an overview of developments in domains such as: population, employment, ageing, education…. It is inspired by the Flemish community profiles of communes and villages. ADRVlaanderen/TON are using this social mapping as a mean to analyse localities to see how cooperation can be improved or set up in a way for the local development to be possible. The social map of Moldova Nouă was prepared with the students of Thomas More university college Belgium and finalized during their familiarization trip March 2018 where the focus was on the qualitative analysis and information gathering. The social map Moldova Nouă can be downloaded at: www.adrvlaanderen.be or www.theopennetwork.ro
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Projects
Homecare services and Long Term Care law proposal The provision of homecare services already existed in SlatinaTimiș and surroundings and continued after the project on homecare funded by Switzerland. For the moment, homecare services are provide in 11 communes be it on an ad hoc/voluntary basis (f.e. Dumitrești, Hodora), or partially paid through the Flemish partners (f.e. Tăut), or by contracting their homecare services not only with their Flemish partners but also with their local governments (f.e. Viscri and Moldovița). Legal prerequisites for funding homecare services are still inappropriate for the sustainable implementation of such services. That’s the reason TON/ADR network took the initiative to create an informal initiative group, to support legal framework changes in order to promote sustainable long-term care services provision. A first meeting was organized in Alba Iulia, during the ADR/TON ‘Cycling for Homecare’ campaign. On November 13, ADR/TON, under the patronage of the Belgian Ambassador Thomas Baekelandt, organized a Round Table on the subject of Long Term Care in Romania at the residence of the Belgian Embassy in Bucharest. The guests of the round table were on one side, NGO homecare providers such as White Yellow Cross from Bucharest and Buzău, Caritas Alba Iulia, Foundation Princess Margareta, The Foundation for Community Support from Bacău, FDAAM etc., and on the other side, decision makers from Parliament, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Social Justice, National Health Insurance House. Important recommendations have been defined during the round table discussions, recommendations that are being shared with decision makers. Follow up work is needed and ongoing to put these recommendations into a proposal for a new legal framework as well as for advocating for the adoption of the proposed changes in the legal framework.
Annual Report | 2018
Rotary Keerbergen sponsored wheel chairs for homecare In October 2018 we were kindly invited to present the work of ADR/TON at Rotary Keerbergen (B). As a result of this presentation and contacts, Rotary Keerbergen decided to donate 1.000 Euro from their reserve funds to ADR/TON. We wrote a proposal to allocate this money for homecare revalidation materials, and with a perspective for further collaboration. In the meanwhile, we bought 11 wheelchairs that will be distributed within the TON/ADR homecare network. With many thanks to Rotary Keerbergen for their donation and on a further nice collaboration.
Projects
An Erasmus K2 project with different partners, on prevention lessons for kindergarten and primary schools, was applied in 2018 but not granted and will be submitted again in 2019. In the meanwhile, materials and even a theatre act has been developed in 2018 (by partners) to bring fire prevention under the attention. Collaboration with local SVSU’s, providing fire clothes and helmets, trainings etc. have been increased. In the same time, there is developed a close collaboration with the French Embassy on the promotion and management of the new foreseen burn centers in Romania, funded by the World Bank. An exchange with and training in, existing reputable burn centers in France and Belgium is one of the goals of this collaboration. A first round table on that, with testimonies of first trainees in Lille (France), was organized in November 2018 at the French embassy in the presence of TON/ADR.
Firefighting, fire prevention and burn treatment Since many years within the Belgian-Romanian cooperation of TON/ADR groups, firefighting and fire prevention got attention. The TON department was advocating for a close collaboration of ISU and SVSU, exchanges of knowledge and training were organized, fire trucks and protection clothes were delivered and prevention started. A boost was given by the collaboration with Colectiv GTG 30.10 Association and the Belgian Burn Foundation.
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Annual Report | 2018
ADR-Vlaanderen/TON – cycling tours 2018 After the successful cycling tours in 2016 and 2017 where we were supporting the homecare project ‘Active Rural Communities in providing and monitoring home care services – Increasing the access to medico-social services for elderly in 5 rural communities’ by
Projects
In June, we had 11 participants, in September the number raised at 19. For the first time we could welcome female participants! In June, a woman of 70 years succeeded to participate, together with her husband (69 years!). After a week of cycling in Romania, they managed to cycle back home in Geel in 21 days! In September, even four women participated.
visiting the villages involved, looking for attention of the media for this
Special thanks to Paul and Ria HelsenEmbrechts, members of vzw Geels Roemeniëkomitee and ADR-Tourism, for the support in organizing this trips. In addition, we give many thanks to Romanian volunteers and organizations/groups that have been so open to receive us.
we were very pleased to get the question of the participating cyclists to organize more cycling trips in 2018. These trips were mend to be pure for touristic purposes, the money earned by organizing these trips will be invested in the TON homecare project, and actions for long term care.
Also in 2019, ADR-Vlaanderen and TON will organize again two cycle trips. In June in Banat region with Transalpina. In September, we will discover Apuseni, Maramureș, Prislop and Bicaz region. During this trip, we will visit Racetex, producer of sports clothing for Bioracer in Beiuș, but also Cehu Silvaniei, partner of ADR-Dilbeek, and Crucea, partner of ADR-Zoersel.
project and collecting money in Flanders to support this project
Both of the cycle trips started in Slatina-Timiș and went via Transbanat and the Bigar waterfall, Donau, Băile Herculane and the Monestry of Tismana to Novaci where the Transalpina was waiting for us as a sportive challenge. Via Alba Iulia (guided tour!), the Castle of Ion Corvin in Hunedoara, Lacul Cinciș and Sarmizegetusa we went back to SlatinaTimiș.
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During both trips, we will support TON campaign for Longterm care by raising awareness of the media for this action organized by Cristina Vladu and her team.
Annual Report | 2018
RE-InVEST Project Year 2018 brought two new events in the TON Network. And this is in the framework of the Europe H2020 project ‘Rebuilding an inclusive, value based Europe of solidarity and trust through social investments’ (RE-InVEST). The project aims to evaluate the social investment strategy of the European Commission implemented in 2013 as a response to the social damage of the financial crisis in 2008. The REInVEST consortium assesses the social damage of the crisis from human rights and capability based approaches with an eye to those vulnerable groups affected the most by the crisis in the 12 countries (and 13 regions) covered by the consortium. The local or national partners, who consist of NGOs, researchers Institutes or Universities, carry out the analyses. The RE-InVEST consortium has jointly developed the PAHRCA - methodology that combines principles of Participatory Action research with Human Rights and Capability Approaches. This qualitative, participatory research does not generate representative results but rather aims at deepening the understanding of the economic, social, cultural and political impacts of the crisis on the lives of vulnerable people by giving them a voice.
Projects
The first public event was held in Slatina-Timiş, Caraş-Severin County, Romania in July. Throughout the event, we discussed about issues related to: Migration to and from Romania: the situation of Romanians in difficulty after or during migration. The Roma Community and Early education: development opportunities in Romania, identified legislative problems and obstacles. Social-economic safety packages provided by Romanian legislation for people living in vulnerable areas in areas such as water, home, early education, financial inclusion, socio-medical services. The importance of the presence of NGOs in research projects to change Public Policies in social-financial packages for people in need. During the second event, in November 2018 in Aalst, Belgium, the topic of the talks was ‘Migration’. Expert Patrick Van den Nieuwenhof presented the research results of the RE-InVEST project packages 3 and 6, as well as relevant information on the migration of the Romanians to Belgium. After the presentation was moderated a panel discussion in which Romanian Diaspora presented their emotional and painful stories of emigration from their country of origin. HIVA/KUL (the coordinator institution the project) is preparing the final conference of our RE-InVEST project, March 28th29th, 2019 in Leuven, Belgium, at Irish College. 25
Future Projects
Solidarity Campaign in TON We aim to transform the future, 2019, into a Solidarity Year between members of TON Foundation. Being inspired by our members at the National Training (2015) held in Dumitrești, Vrancea County, we wanted to create a permanent (long-lasting) real context to support organisations/ small informal groups working at grass roots, but also organizations with more experience. In 2015, each participant contributed with the sum of 10 lei for the realization of a dream proposed by a member. Following the vote, the prize went to CLS Tăut for a child from the community for making a medical file, necessary for the analysis of a possibility of treatment for the child’s recovery in Germany. The contest was an exciting experience, and everybody considered this ‘Tombola of Dreams’ was an experience that should be repeated. That mini-project, the spontaneity and commitment of our members inspired us to realize in 2019 a real project entitled ‘Solidarity Campaign in TON’. What exactly is this Campaign, you will ask us.
Solidarity Campaign in TON is a case-tracking campaign (individual or institutional) at the community level from the members of The Open Network for Community Development Foundation (TON), followed by a fundraising campaign to solve the first case identified in each of the following categories: Solidarity and Education; Solidarity and Health; Solidarity and Volunteering.
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The aim is to make national and international known of a personal or institutional situation for which - we, members of TON Foundation and not only, through solidarity, can raise funds for a possible solution.
Annual Report | 2018
The REGAL project The project is an expressed voice of rural women in Romania for a balance between work and life (Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme/Call REC-AG-2018) Approved in 2018, the REGAL project aims to convey to the European Community the reality that women in rural Romania face, their need for a balance between the desired work and the personal response for the rest of the family obligations. The partners in this project that will carry out activities over 24 months are: BEWEGING (Belgium), Groupe de Recherche et de Realisations pour le Developpement Rural (France), Focus Ireland LTD (Ireland), REDE EUROPEIA ANTI POBREZA ASSOCIATION (Portugal) and TON Foundation (Romania). REGAL aims to link the Directive on the work Life Balance Package with the provision in the EPSR stating that equal opportunities of under-represented groups shall be fostered. REGAL will go beyond the general nature of the package and tries to identify the vacuums for under represented groups in the current legislation and will propose solutions and seek indirectly to reduce the number of poor working women. Activities will entail: competence enhancement of these women through rights enabling, storytelling, participatory sessions in order to inventory problems, aspirations and concrete solutions leading to a free access toolkit; awareness raising through EU and national social media awareness campaigns. These activities will lead to 18 deliverables such as a large European website, 5 national Facebook pages, 5 national stakeholder-conferences, 5 books, EU-synthesis report, methodological toolkit.
Future Projects
SOS Fire! - a project more than needed in schools By addressing a very important theme for individual and collective security, the ‘SOS Fire’ project is a representation of the willingness to engage in the community of 7 strategic partners: Fondation des Brules/Stichting Brandwonden (Applicant) alongside with the TON Foundation (RO), Asociatia Colectiv GTG 3010 (RO), ADR-Vlaanderen (BE), National Association of Professionals working with Desired People (BG), ESEL (PT) and Association des Brûlés de France (FR). Developed based on the catastrophe that was in COLECTIV tragic event, the project aims to create awareness among European school children about the risks caused by fire, its prevention and the most important measures to put in place in case of emergency and fire. Children are one of the most vulnerable target groups foreseen into this project, especially children from underprivileged backgrounds (roma, immigrants, socio-economic problems etc). Through this project (and based on EU financial grant), the partners want to develop and implement a European training course for schoolchildren that will run in the context of a ‘SOS Fire! Campaign’ week that will be organised in each participating European school. Activities will include the running of a training course, a school project competition, lectures by experts from the fire brigades, hospitals, scientists etc. The training programmes and the SOS Fire! Week programme will be designed by the entire project partnership using the works and material developed by the Fondation Belge des Brûlés as a source of inspiration, but the running activities will be based on each involved partner expertise. With a very good score but not founded, this project will be applied in 2019 for the second time for EU KA2 Strategic Partnership competition in ERASMUS+ Programme. 27
Intervention
International Days Thomas More Every year in March, Thomas More University College is holding its International Days whit around 30 partners from all over the world. Since several years, TON Foundation/ADRVlaanderen are presenting their activities and give information on possible internship places in Romania. The target group are students of the department social work and nursing/midwifery. In 2018, beside Jef Vanhoof, Patrick Van den Nieuwenhof and Jozef Goebels, was also present Alina Bosânceanu, Assistant Professor at ‘Eftimie Murgu’ University (in Reşiţa, CarașSeverin County) and involved in Asociația Grupurilor Locale de Tineret - AGLT. The presentations resulted in the development of Familiarization Trip from March and an internship to Romania.
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Annual Report | 2018
Belgian week celebrated in Bucharest Each year, the Belgian Romanian Chamber of Commerce (BEROCC) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Romania organize a Belgian Week, always focusing on a specific sector of the economic environment. In 2018, this event took place in Bucharest between April 22 and 25. The central theme was the Real Estate sector. As Civil Society Organizations, The Open Network for Community Development Foundation, together with ADRVlaanderen organized two workshops focusing on the social implications of the field. The workshop on Tuesday 24 April 2018 focused on the relationship between social responsible entrepreneurship and sustainable growth.
Intervention
Mega Image, in Belgium Delhaize, and VPK Packaging, a Belgian packaging company in the neighbourhood of Salonta, developed various social projects. They gave an overview of their social projects and the social 'profits' they realize. During the gala dinner, Bart Dobbelaere (VPK) and Vasilis Stavrou (Mega Image) received an ADR/TON diploma for Captain of Social Corporate Governance. The purpose of this 'award' is to put them in the spotlight with their projects and to function as bridge figures to other companies. The 2nd workshop took place on Wednesday 25 April 2018 and offered an insight into possible strategies to involve the population in the development of local spatial planning.
ADR-Vlaanderen together with the Samilia Foundation, an organization that works on the exploitation of employees and human trafficking, provided presentations about the added value for companies to invest in social projects. 29
Annual Report | 2018
Intervention
ADR-Vlaanderen recalled the methodology of social maps with a nice example of citizen participation from Herselt. During the round table, various actors took the floor each with their own vision on spatial development. OMENIA, Romania's largest elderly organization, emphasized, for example, the importance of public infrastructure for the elderly, the need for adapted housing and the creation of residential areas in cities where there is a healthy mix of age categories. Colectiv GTG 3010 Association emphasized the importance of preliminary research concerning safety when drawing up building plans and permits. Infocons, the largest consumer organization in Romania, provided tools to enforce rights and quality control. And they also argued for more association of private persons to negotiate better conditions.
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Finally, the construction company WIZMO gave a presentation. For them it is important that allotments and new constructions have a good social basis. For example, several projects seem to be ostentatious but are not always taken into account needs: lack of public infrastructure, green spaces, remote and not accessible public transport‌. This could be avoided by organizing community meetings in advance in order to develop a vision. Each workshop had around 30 participants and we were happy that partners in Romania as CARP-OMENIA, ‌ were involved as well.
Annual Report | 2018
Belgian day celebrated in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova
Intervention
Long-Term Care (LTC) in Romania
In May 2018, Jozef Goebels and Kris Vanberghen were happy to join the celebration of Belgium Day in Chișinău. The wife of honorary consul Luc Engelen, Mrs. Lilia Sinciuc prepared a program of visits and meetings and took them around for 2 days, ending with the Belgian day in Moldova celebration.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Romania organized and hosted on November 13, 2018, together with TON/ADR, the Round Table ‘Long-term care in Romania at present and projections for the future’.
The visit in Chișinău was a good opportunity to meet with different interested institutes and organizations as they met the president of the Rayon Ialoveni (Carmanu Lilian); the mayor of the City of Ialoveni (Sergiu Armașu); the founder of Child Care Moldova (Marcela Zbigli); WBI ‘Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie’ (Roxana Turcanu); State Secretary Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection (Boris Gîlca); country manager Hospice of Hope MD (Raluca Muntean); administrative heads of the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Education.
In the presence of the Ambassador of Belgium to Romania, His excellency Mr Thomas Baekelandt and the President of TON/ADR, Jozef Goebels, the round table aimed to continue the institutional collaboration and debate on the issue of the care of the elderly in Romania within a wide circle of institutional actors (service providers such as Caritas, White-Yellow Cross Foundation, 4Change Association, ADAM Slatina-Timiş, CARP-OMENIA Foundation, policy makers of different ministries, members of parliament) and identifying common directions of action.
During the celebration of the Belgian National Day at the residence of honorary consul Mr. Luc Engelen, ambassadors met the Belgium Ambassador and different other ambassadors, Belgium consul, different representatives from BEROCC, WBI Romania, AWEX, different organizations and institutions.
In the context of an accented demographic increase of the population aged over 65, as well as of poor public policies to effectively cover the elderly population with minimum long-term care services, institutional collaboration is essential to raise the effectiveness of public policy measures. The Belgian Embassy therefore advocates to an extensive collaboration between institutions to identify a joint action plan and find innovative ways to ensure access to high quality medical services for the elderly. From Belgian side came a short introduction on ‘Integrated Care’, a new care method where the patient is central. Follow up will be given in 2019 by the formed ‘Initiative Group’ and a law proposal prepared. This will be supported by the bicycle tours organized by ADR-Vlaanderen/TON in June and September 2019. 31
Heroes
Commander in the Order of Leopold II November 15th, 2018, was a good omen for the TON Network. During the Reception organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Bucharest on the Kings Day, Jozef Goebels, President of The Open Network for Community Development Foundation and ADR-Vlaanderen, received the decoration ‘Commander in the Order of Leopold II’, handed by His Excellency Thomas Baekelandt. A reward earned for all the years of dedication towards Romania. It is also a merit for all of us who have made efforts during the Romanian-Belgian collaboration, an impressive work, as we all know. It is a recognition from our partners and we thank them for the support that they offer us in our work for the development of Romania.
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Annual Report | 2018
Ambassador for TON/ADR A TON/ADR Ambassador is a person inspired by the longlasting Romanian-Belgian connection and the huge activation of it during and after the revolution of 1989. Is a trustworthy, sympathetic person who is willing to engage for the promotion of TON and ADR. Is also, familiar with the work of TON/ADR and knows how to explore opportunities. And after a little bit of searching we are honoured to have Mrs. Mihaela Stănescu as the first TON/ADR Ambassador. The signing of the ‘mandate’ was on January 22, in Arad. We thank Mrs. Mihaela Stănescu for joining our team and the desire to work together to meet the goals set for the coming years. Our aim remains to facilitate a sustainable community development by implementing community development projects at the local, regional, national and international level and by promoting Romanian-Belgian best practices in the field, without excluding other possible partnerships.
Heroes
ADR/TON Captain of Social Corporate Governance During our 6 years of activities, TON Foundation had several partners/sponsors who jumped in with help when we need it, showing that beside their pure economical business, they also are open for social matters in society. In addition, because we wanted to show our appreciation for their support, we created a reward title ‘ADR/TON Captain of Social Corporate Governance’. The award is for the promotion of social corporate governance and sustainable growth as a way that serves Romanian communities. Also for the belief that community development and efforts that uplift communities go hand in hand with economic and business development. The receiver of the award is a person responsible for one or more companies in Romania with a Belgian connection. In 2018, 4 such awards were given: Bart Dobbelaere, Managing Director at VPK Packaging Vasilis Stavrou, CEO Mega Image Romania Danny Segers, CEO BIORACER, Belgium Wim D’haese, SAMDAM The 4 Captains agreed to introduce the TON/ADR network and activities to their staff of employees and eventually start-up an own group/initiative; seek for the possibility to encourage employees to do some voluntary work for civil society organisations; to the extent possible, explore new possible partners, looks and advocates for possible fundraising which could reinforce and strengthen the work of TON/ADR in Romania. 33
Cooperation
MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Bioracer, TON and ADR In 2016 and 2017, organizing cycling tours to sponsor the Home Care project, ADR-Vlaanderen noticed that cyclists in Flanders want to discover new cycling regions. As a result, the ADR Tourism Department organized two new bicycle tours in the Banat region in 2018. Seen the success, also for 2019 2 new bicycle tours are planned. On May 12th, 2018, ADR organized a 125 km trip in Flanders to give participants the opportunity to get to know our organizations, get to know each other, and present how the group will travel in Romania. At the same time, during the preparations, a cooperation agreement was reached with Bioracer, a sport-clothing maker with a daughter company Racetex in Beiuș, Bihor County. Before the start of his cycling trip, Danny Segers, CEO of Bioracer, and Jozef Goebels signed a MoU.
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The Agreement stipulates inter alia: Bioracer, TON and ADR will mutually promote and develop programs and activities with social implications; The three partners will create joint projects through close collaboration; Racetex will be the first company to pay 20% of the profit tax to the TON Foundation; Racetex employees will be invited to redirect 2% of the income tax to TON Foundation; TON will organize a preventive medical checkup of 125 Racetex employees; TON will make a social map of the Beiuș region where Racetex, the Bioracer production plant, is located; Further sponsoring, by delivering the clothes for the cycling tours the coming years, will be provided.
Annual Report | 2018
Strengthening and expanding partnerships in 2018 End of March 2018, a group of 10 Belgian students (social studies and nursing/midwifery) accompanied by 2 docents from the Thomas More University College in Belgium and guided by Jozef Goebels (TON/ADR president) made a familiarization trip to Romania. In Arad, a MoU was signed between TON/ADR and Vasile Goldiș University. In the past, cooperation between Thomas More (Belgium) and Vasile Goldiș (Romania) was set up with the help of TON/ADR and internships for Belgian students performed. This resulted as well in a visit of Prof. Cristian Furău (Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pathophysiology department Vasile Goldiș) to Thomas More Belgium in order to compare curricula. The students visited the Vasile Goldiș International Department, the gynaecology hospital, the TBC hospital and had activities with the student organization medical faculty Vasile Goldiș. Furthermore, they visited CARP-Arad elderly centre and organized activities with the residents.
Cooperation
The same was done in Reșița with the Eftimie Murgu University. After signing a MoU between TON/ADR and Eftimie Murgu University, exchange presentations and visits took place. In the past, the International Department of Eftimie Murgu was collaborating with Thomas More social department trough Alina Bosânceanu (volunteer in AGLT). She also organized a stay in their facilities near Moldova Nouă at the Danube borders, together with the student organization of Eftimie Murgu. Together they worked on a social map for Moldova Nouă. The visit was conceived as a short study program bringing together students and academic staff from different disciplines. A short trip to gain insight into the local situation in Romania. After the group's return to Belgium, the students organised events of debate and dissemination of information. The social map of Moldova Nouă was finalized and follow-up done by ADAM Slatina-Timiş. The students and docents ended their trip in SlatinaTimiş, where Ioan Suru organized meetings and visits. Students also joined him for the homecare tour.
In 2019, another trip will be organized with new students.
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Annual Report | 2018
Eurosfat 2018 TON/ADR President, Jozef Goebels was among the guest speakers at the 6th edition of the largest annual European Debate Forum in Romania, the Eurosfat 2018 Forum, organized by EUROPULS - the European Expertise Center (with seat in Belgium), under the patronage of the European Parliament, the European Commission, the Bulgarian Presidency and the Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. In last year's edition in Bucharest, on 8 June 2018, took place a wide-ranging discussion focused on the future of Romania, the European Union, Romania in the European Union. If Eurosfat 2017 was a turning point, in 2018, under the title ‘Romania’s Vision on the Future of Europe’, concrete solutions were proposed for the next years or even decades with a role for Romania at the heart of Europe. EUROPULS brings to the fore a debate on Romania's contribution to the relaunch of the European project and the steps to be taken until and after the Sibiu Summit in May 2019.
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Cooperation
The Eurosfat 2018 edition brought together more than 350 participants, reunited 66 speakers, including a European commissioner, ambassadors, presidential advisors, European officials, representatives of international organizations, activists, journalists. And nine major themes: the future of Europe, the fight against misinformation, The Common Agricultural Policy and the young farmers' generation, cyber security, euro zone, Brexit, the health system, democracy and the rule of law, the future of the energy system and digitization, social Europe, as well as a cultural event dedicated to the Black Sea region, a unique video show. In the workshop ‘Shifting to Value for Patients’, moderated by Claudia Gherman (expert affiliate health, Europuls), speakers where: Cristina Elena Corcău, vice-president Caravana cu Medici/ Mirela Iordan, Country Manager, Pfizer Romania/Vlad Mixich, President Romanian Health Observatory/Anca Păduraru, Spokesperson, Directorate General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission/Jozef Goebels, President TON and ADR. Ioan Suru and Cristina Vladu where in the audience to answer questions. We got lot of visibility and strong testimonies of Ioan Suru and Cristina Vladu. Lot of contacts were made. From now on Europuls decided to have each year an item on health on their Eurosfat conference. For 2019 we prepare a MoU between TON/ADR and Europuls.
Annual Report | 2018
BEROBA-BEROCC Established in 2013 at the initiative of the Belgian Embassy in Bucharest and of Belgian investors in Romania, BEROBA has developed over time as a stand-alone organization, today counting 85 members, mostly Belgian companies and business people or entities with Belgian interests in Romania. Since its beginnings, the association has organized networking meetings and monthly debates on a variety of valuable subjects, managing to build a solid community of business people interested in the development of the Romanian-Belgian relations.
Belgium has been for many years one of the most important foreign investors in Romania and since 2013 BEROBA has represented the interests of the Belgian – Romanian business community. They do that by creating business opportunities within the active community of 85 members, but also via their active membership in the Coalition for Romania’s Development (CDR).
Cooperation
CDR is a private initiative that brings together the most representative business sector organizations in Romania, with the aim of building a coherent and substantial institutional dialogue, particularly with the Romanian government. In
2018,
the
Belgian-Romanian Business Association ‘BEROBA’ and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Bucharest proudly announced the change of the association’s status to Bilateral Chamber of Commerce - Belgian Romanian Chamber of Commerce (BEROCC). This change occurs following the accreditation of BEROBA as member of the Federation of Belgian Chambers of Commerce (BLCCA) in July 2017. At that occasion, beside the normal board, an advisory board was installed and Jozef Goebels (president TON/ADR) was asked to become member of this advisory board.
The most prominent event of the association is the Belgian Week, which takes place every year in April, in Bucharest or in other big cities in the country, and brings together workshops, social initiatives and business seminars, along with culinary traditions and authentic hallmarks of Belgian lifestyle.
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Annual Report | 2018
Cooperation between CARP-OMENIA and OKRA in familiarization trips and international events C.A.R.P. OMENIA Bucharest Association is a nongovernmental association of mutual assistance and social protection for the elderly, currently having over 53,000 members. It is a member of the OMENIA National Federation of Pension`s Houses in Romania since 1990. Mission of the C.A.R.P. OMENIA Bucharest is the financial, material and social assistance of its members, ensuring their rights to a decent and quality living. For the fulfilment of its mission, the C.A.R.P. OMENIA Bucharest is collaborating with institutions and NGOs, including the TON Foundation, ADR-Vlaanderen (Belgium) and OKRA Association (Belgium).
Jozef Goebels, President of TON/ADR Vlaanderen being an honorary member in the OMENIA Federation Administrative Board, was present on April 13th, 2018 (Bucharest) at the National Council of the OMENIA National Federation. Along with Mr Jozef Goebels, were attended this meeting representatives of the Romanian-Belgian collaboration and not only: the Consul of the Belgium Kingdom in Romania - Mrs Machteld Cattrysse, the President of the Central Association of Savings and Loan Associations of the Republic of Moldova - Mr Victor Trocin and the President of the Coalition for Education - Mrs Daniela Vişoianu. As a result of this meeting, new cooperation agreements and new concrete events have been established between the present international institutions such as an official visit to OKRA (Belgium's largest elderly organization) at the C.A.R.P. OMENIA Bucharest (October, 2018). 38
Cooperation
OKRA and the C.A.R.P. OMENIA are similar institutions as functionality, OKRA having its own branch in each community (city or village) in Belgium and developing activities for seniors that are specific to each region (swimming, cycling, dining, traveling, etc.), focusing on socialization and the fact that no old person should be alone. Belgian guests were impressed with what they saw at the C.A.R.P. OMENIA Bucharest Association, considering that such a concentration of such a large number of services in a relatively small, easily accessible perimeter can only be in favour of the members of the association. From their point of view, given the precarious financial situation of many of the elderly, the existence of organizations such as the C.A.R.P. OMENIA Bucharest is essential. The year 2018 gave the opportunity of a meeting between OKRA Kempen and CARP-ARAD (7-11 October) in Arad. An official visit was made to the Seniors Center, the Social Canteen, and a collaboration protocol with ADAM Slatina-Timiş was done, in order to donate the necessary materials to the Arad Center. The visit of representatives from OKRA was followed by an interference with the Romanian realities in Reșița, Caransebeș and Bucharest. Reflections such as ‘capitalism has changed communism/is everyone happy?’; parents of Romanian children go abroad to care for the elderly in the European families leaving home their parents without help, a ‘top-down Europe’ represented sad truths of a current undesired European socio-economic dynamics.
Annual Report | 2018
ADR-Vlaanderen Contact Dag November 24th Like in every year, in 2018 we were witnesses - invited at the meeting called ‘ADRVlaanderen Contact dag’. On this day of the year, on November 24th, we met all that we are under the umbrella ADR -Vlaanderen and TON in the beautiful city of Aalst at the ‘Ontmoetingshuis De Brug’. This meeting is an opportunity for a dialogue between those interested in the development of the Romanian-Belgian relations, by initiating new projects - both in Romania and in Belgium. In the first part of the day, after the introduction made by President ADR-Vlaanderen and TON, Mr Jozef Goebels and the representatives of the Local Council in Aalst, we were glad to hand over to Mr Wim D'Haese, Belgian businessman, with impact business in the development of the communities in Belgium and Romania, the ‘ADR/ TON Captain of Social Corporate Governance’ award. Mr Wim D'Haese encouraged the development of a social campaign within the TON network entitled ‘Promote’ and Aalst (the host city of the meeting) is the home town of him.
Cooperation
The morning program continued with theoretical presentations of European Union programs supported by experts in the field (‘Romania in the EU’), a lunch organized exemplary by representatives of social organizations in Aalst.
The afternoon began with an annual internal financial reporting by the ADRVlaanderen for all member groups and organizations, and a discussion on different topic groups, including the session held by Mr Patrick van Den Nieuwenhof entitled ‘Romania's Emigration, the Consequences for Romania and Flanders’. This presentation session of the research carried out within the ‘RE-InVEST’ project was continued by a roundtable of moderate discussions, with Romanians settled in Belgium. The life stories of the Romanians settled in Belgium were real moments of emotion for all those present in the room, because Europe is a destiny world of people with beautiful and painful realities at the same time. 39
Resources, Fundraising and Membership
Resources in the Foundation The Open Network for Community Development Foundation is an umbrella organization providing support for Romanian and Belgian partners (twinned or under way to collaboration), supporting the sustainable development of Romanian communities and their members. Since TON Foundation wants to help the sustainable development of members, we realized over time many tools that our members can use to promote their activities and products they make. You can support regional and national meetings, the trainings of our much needed foundation for the development of TON and not least local activity of each group member. Be Connected in The Open Network and watch the actions carried out by TON volunteers. Already for 7 years TON publish bimonthly newsletter. You can subscribe to the info@theopennetwork.ro. If you are a TON member you can as well promote yourself and win visibility. You love what we do? Follow us on Facebook! You have access to our newsletter, you can see pictures of activities, events and you are invited to interact with more than 1000 fans - https:// www.facebook.com/TheOpenNetwork. Want to know more about us? Visit our website, discover electronic resources, and find information about courses and trainers www.theopennetwork.ro. 40
Annual Report | 2018
Be part of our network How to become a member? 1. Send a message to info@theopennetwork.ro and ask for an ‘Official request for TON membership’; 2. Fill in the ‘Official request for TON membership’ and sent it back to info@theopennetwork.ro; 3. In maximum 2 weeks you will receive the answer to the ‘official request’ submitted by the Administration Council to the TON Board; 4. If the ‘official request’ received a positive answer, you may transfer the annual membership fee into the official account of TON; 5. You will receive the TON member card and you will be part of our TON Network.
Resources, Fundraising and Membership
Who can become a member? Each individual and institution (public authority, association, enterprise), all who want to commit efforts, energy, time, for a better life in the community, through sustainable development. Membership fee Individuals: 10 RON/10 EUR Local authorities, Associations, small businesses: 50 RON/50 EUR Large structures – NGOs, enterprises: 400 RON/100 EUR
TON network has 4 types of members: • Active Members: members (natural persons or organizations) that are active at local level, that have a Belgian partner or not, that work with one of our models; • The Individual Active Members: will be encouraged to develop their own organization (informal/formal group in the community), in one year after they decide to be TON members. • Supporting Members: members who pay the membership fee and are informed on what we do. They may participate in our training programs by paying the training fee. The supporting members are our future project partners. • Members of Honor: these members are invited by the TON Board to join us as members of honor due to their presence, activities, expertise and experience.
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Annual Report | 2018
Support TON Foundation activities and projects Redirect 2% • What it is and how it works? Every year, YOU can choose to have 2% of your income tax redirected to a non-profit entity. We propose you to support the development of associations at the local level, in rural and small urban communities, all over the country. Local volunteers have the insight, capacity and willingness to transform their communities. Little support is all it takes to see them blossom. At this time, we are working in about 25 communities. With your help, 2019 may be the year when we go further. • Determined to support us? Ask the 230 Form at the Financial Administration from the municipality you belong to, fill it with the information below and submit it until July 31. • Give us a chance to thank you! Notify us by email at info@theopennetwork.ro if when you have submitted the form, we’d love to say ‘thank you!’. For contributions or 2%: Fundația The Open Network for Community Development Address: Grajduri, Iași, 707215 CUI: 30474995 EUR IBAN Cont: RO86 BTRL 0240 4205 7388 44XX RON IBAN Cont: RO40 BTRL 0240 1205 7388 44XX Bank Transilvania S.A. Agency PODU ROȘ, BD SOCOLA NR 2, IAȘI, RO SWIFT: BTRLRO 22
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Resources, Membership and Fundraising
How we work We promote and facilitate the implementation of community development best practices by: Exchanges of experience at national and regional level through courses and workshops Development of projects in partnership at local, regional, national and/or international level Online Newsletter/Facebook Page/Website Network of regional and national trainers TON is an extended team made of volunteers, local coordinators, regional trainers, professional workers and administration council members, mostly from Romania, but also from Belgium. TON founders are 5 Belgian citizens and 4 Romanian citizens presently, all members of the administration council. The national coordination of the various projects and initiatives is ruled by an executive director which, together with 3 other professional workers (responsible for the online promotion and development of internal communication and projects), apply the decisions of the Administration Council. Furthermore, 26 Regional trainers cover all the 8 administrative regions of Romania, facilitating the top-down communication and collaboration (between the members of the Administration Council, professional workers and the coordinators of the local organisations), as well as horizontally (between the members of the local organizations and the Belgian partners).
Not lastly, the team of the TON is formed of all the local volunteers, specialists and coordinators involved in the development of different structures/organisations, in more than 35 municipalities, all over Romania.