On Sunday, November 22th 2020, the ELIJAH Association enjoyed the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of Romania, Raluca Turcan. We quote below the statement of the Deputy Prime Minister made after visiting our social projects:
“The reconstruction of hope is a long-term mission in front of or during which many give up. Not all, fortunately! 30 kilometers from Sibiu, the Elijah Association was founded eight years ago. I often read about their projects, I found out about their activity and I heard sad stories, but with a happy ending. Today, thanks to one of those who, since its establishment and until now have been next to Elijah, the current deputy mayor of Sibiu, Alexandru Dumbravă, I had the privilege to greet those I admired in my mind and to convince myself that everything what I found out is true. A meeting, I must admit, to be carried in my heart for a long time to come, an extraordinary testimony of ambition and perseverance.
I met Ruth Zenkert and Father Georg Sporschill, I met Antoaneta Ghișoiu and many others (but not all) who work at Elijah. I met Maria and I listened to her special voice, I talked to young people who can now think about the future. Some do apprenticeship in carpentry workshops, others learn to do housework, others learn in the bakery. Also here, children come after classes and do homework or learn to play instruments, come to play sports or discover their passions and develop them for their future.
Elijah’s determination to prove to all those in need that they can succeed by looking for the good in them, finding it and shaping it, is overwhelming.
The association is involved in the social, educational, qualification, agriculture and farmer fields. In Sibiu they set up a boarding school in order to prevent school dropout and to integrate young people from rural areas into urban life.
The statistics tell us how difficult is the situation of poor families in Romania, Roma or not. There are public policies, strategies, there is even goodwill. What we find less often is the total, real, proven and lasting attachment for those to whom all this is dedicated.
Elijah is a successful model, and his contribution to the future of the communities on the Harbach Valley, again, Cașolț, Hosman, Ţichindeal, Nocrich and Marpod is categorical. Today I bowed to all those who work in the social projects of the Elijah Association and an extra encouragement to all those who participate in their funding!” (Raluca Turcan, 22.11.2020)
