Habitat for Humanity and Wienerberger build the Christmas Home
BRATISLAVA/BUCHAREST (November 23, 2012) – Habitat for Humanity Romania and Wienerberger Bricks Systems joined their forces to give HOME to a family who suffered extreme hardships. This year’s Christmas will mean a new beginning for them, in a real home.
The case of Tudoriţa and Marian C. family from Fundulea, Călăraşi County, was noted by Habitat for Humanity Romania last winter, following a help call made by “Ana și Copiii” association. Habitat for Humanity Romania decided to get involved in helping this family and included it in “Truth is in your heart!”, a campaign developed around Christmas 2011. Habitat was supported at the time by many individual donors and bloggers.
For the first time in their life, Tudoriţa, Marian and their children will have a warm, safe Christmas inside a secure and healthy home. Until now, the 8 members of the family were living in a space of 12 square meters, without electricity and heating. One single bed, lightened by a few candles always running short, without lavatory and running water, a dark shack made of cardboard and adobe – this is how Tudoriţa, Marian and their children lived their life from one day to the other, without hope.
The donations in money and materials were supplemented by the bricks and mortar received from Wienerberger, with the help of which Habitat team was able to start the works and build the new house together with all the members of the beneficiary family.
“Over the years, Wienerberger helped improving housing quality through the products developed, and now, we are happy we can actively support the Romanian families in housing need. We are happy that, together with Habitat for Humanity, we can provide these wonderful children with a better future, the chance to live in a healthy, safe and pleasant environment together with their family”, stated Corneliu Fecioru, Member of the Board Wienerberger Romania, Sales and Marketing.
The house will have a living area of 42 square meters, it is simple, practical, well isolated, heated by a central stove and divided into 3 bedrooms (2 for the children and one for the parents), a kitchen and a bathroom.
“Although it seems difficult to believe, in the 21st century, there are hundreds of families in Romania who live in the same conditions as Tudoriţa and Marian. We were impressed about how the children were educated, the fact that they go to school and have good results despite the inhuman conditions they had in the booth they were living in, without running water, electricity or lavatory.”
“There are still more than 1 million Romanians like them, who do not have heating, drinking water or lavatory. For this project, we had the support of our partners from Wienerberger Brick Systems, Lafarge Romania and Porsche Romania, as well as tens of individual donors, whom we thank for their support and for making it possible to continue Habitat’s mission in Romania”, said Emil Olteanu, National Director Habitat for Humanity Romania.
About Wienerberger
Wienerberger Brick Systems is the largest manufacturer of ceramic blocks in Romania. The company currently has three production units locally, being the most modern such units on the market. The plants owned by the company are situated in Gura Ocniţei – Dâmboviţa, Sibiu and Triteni Cluj. Wienerberger, the world’s largest brick manufacturer, entered the Romanian market in 1998. It is currently one of the biggest investors in the building materials production field. The main products are the masonry systems in Porotherm and Terca range. Globally, the company has 230 plants in 30 countries with 12,000 employees.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that brings together people of all races, nationalities and religions to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by building and improving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. An estimated 17,000 of these families are in Europe and Central Asia, where Habitat has been active since the 1990s. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitateurope.org.
Country: Romania