Northern Romania: Therapeutic gardens set up for people with disabilities

FARA Foundation, a non-profit that has been active in the country for the past three decades, has partnered with retailer Carrefour Romania in a project for children and youth with disabilities.

The two partners set up therapeutic gardens and organize various activities, with support from nutrition specialists, psychologists and pediatricians.

At the same time, basic food support is offered to families who care for at least one person with disabilities in the commune of Cacica, in Suceava county, in northeastern Romania. A food package will be offered for a period of six months to 12 families in Cacica who care for people with disabilities.

A total of 158 people receive support in this program, among them youth with disabilities, residents of FARA’s Elisabeta House in Cacica, families who care for at least one person with disabilities in Cacica, and children with disabilities who receive dedicated services at the foundation’s Emanuel Day Center for therapy and recovery.

At the launch of the project, a hanging garden was set up at the Elisabeta House in Cacica.

The gardens set up in the project also include areas for resting and studying plants, and sensory circuits. The children and youth in the project will take part in cooking workshops, harvesting medicinal plants and preparing them for use in various therapies.

FARA, founded 30 years ago by Jane Nicholson, runs programs in Suceava county, Popești Leordeni (Ilfov) and Satu Mare. It works with children, youth, and families living in poor communities, offering programs aiming to tackle poverty through education, supporting adults with learning disabilities, and offering therapy and special-needs education to children with complex needs. Its children’s homes provide an alternative to state care, while a dedicated program targets institutionalized care-leavers.

(Photo courtesy of FARA Foundation)