Our colleague Ramona Antonie is celebrating 14 years of working at Sense International Romania with and for people with deafblindness this year. And to mark this particular moment, she started a fundraising campaign by donating her birthday through the Galantom platform. She set out to raise 4,100 RON for a project in which children and young people with deadblindness are encouraged to get out of the usual patterns and try new things, different from what they do at home or at school.
Each of the 14 years means for Ramona a reason for joy and professional and personal satisfaction, we play below the first 5 reasons, as she shared them on Facebook:
This year I decided to donate my birthday to children and young people with deafblindness from Sense International Romania projects.
That's why, starting today, I'm going to write, for every year I've spent in the organization, a reason that kept me here, close to them.
1th REASON
14 years with Sense International Romania and children with deafblindness.
In 2006, on a wonderful afternoon in Cluj Napoca, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Vasile Adamescu with his interpreter, Viorel Micu, Camelia Paian, a person who is very involved in the lives of people with deafblindness, as well as other people alike, in order to celebrate that, finally, the deafblindness was officially recognized by law 448/2006. And my life has changed!
2nd REASON
14 years with Sense International Romania and children with deafblindness.
Early intervention, project stuck well to my soul, began in 2007 and then for 10 years expanded into 4 centers in the country. The image attached to this post is from Iasi, when the Early Intervention Support Center at Pavelcu High School was officially launched. What's so special about this project? It offered the chance of early detection at birth, by testing hearing and vision in neonatology wards in partner hospitals. More information can be found on https://surdocecitate.ro/ro/ce-facem/interventie-timpurie/
3rd REASON
14 years with Sense International Romania and children with deafblindness.
One of the important things you learn in a non-governmental organization is that the sources of income for project development do not simply exist, but come from funding projects written by employees in the organization, projects that can be successful or not, fundraising projects like campaigns form 2% or 20%, or fundraising through Swimathon projects (swimming) or various running competitions, or other beautiful ideas meant to bring financial support.
Being present and supporting project beneficiaries is an ongoing challenge. One such fundraising project is the Donate Your Birthday campaign, as I do during this period.
My birthday is on March 11th and I have proposed that by this date I will raise the sum of 4100 RON, correspondent of the age of 41. The reason I post every day is an introduction to what we do and especially for who we do these projects, because that's how I want my friends or acquaintances to choose, that instead of buying me a flower (I love flowers), to congratulate me by supporting this project.
4th REASON
14 years with Sense International Romania and children with deafblindness.
If in the description of the first reason we were talking about the recognition of deafblindness in the law, in 2008 a group of dedicated and enthusiastic teachers, specialized in deafblindness and involved with Sense International Romania in a partnership with the Ministry of Education, developed a curriculum for deafblindness, a curriculum that is the basis of school programs dedicated to children with deafblindness. https://surdocecitate.ro/ro/ce-facem/educatie/And from this year until the end of 2021, this curriculum will be translated into an educational software that will help teachers, but also the parents of these children. Stay tuned and you'll hear about #eSense.
Why am I here? Because there is coherence and structure in the programs that we develop.
5th REASON
14 years with Sense International Romania and children with deafblindness.
People, children and young people with deafblindness are presented in a positive perspective, highlighting personal resources and skills acquired during projects with partner schools.You can see images from projects by going to your organization's Facebook page Sense International Romania.
The perfect birthday present is for them, so follow the link in the post, identify the green button 💝I want to make a donation💝 and give them a gift, a gift to children and young people with deafblindness.
Thank you, Ramona, for your wonderful gesture!