I am fundraising with my Ranger group, South Cotswold Rangers, for a service project in 2012.

We are travelling via Italy, Croatia, Hungary to Romania where we will be staying for a week with Nightingale's Children Project, who's objectives are to fight for the relief of poverty,sickess and distress. We will all be experiencing different parts of the project,

Casa Fericirii (Home of Happiness)

A home for HIV positive previously institutionalised young adults with learning difficulties, providing them with all the care, support and opportunities they need. The independent living arm supports the ex-members of Casa Fericirii to live as independent adults in the town of Cernavoda.

Nightingale's school

Helping children who, due to poverty or learning disabilities, are unable to benefit from state education, giving them a chance at least to learn to read and write with the aim of gaining a recognised school diploma which will provide them with the opportunity to enter into state higher education.

Tereza Community Centre

To occupy, integrate and educate the youth of Cernavoda, through sports and recreational activities. Cernavoda is an extremely poor area and has very little to offer teenagers to pass their free time.  As a result many of them turn to stealing, alcohol, prostitution and gambling to relieve boredom. The centre brings children together from all backgrounds offering them a chance to pass their time in a constructive manner learning new skills and making new friends.

Independant living for institutionalised young people

Nightingales runs life skills courses for young people from the county of Constanta, who are about to leave state-run institutions to live independently. It provides housing for up to seven young people on this programme in a half-way house. The goal is to provide them with the life skills and support to become independent, self-supporting members of society and to enjoy life, rather than turning to prostitution, stealing and begging.

Fighting for the causes of human trafficking and prositition

Nightingales is currently running a mentoring scheme in Cernavoda for young girls identified as being at risk of either choosing to go into prostitution or being trafficked. Through awareness courses at 3 of the local schools, life skills courses at our Community Centre and also by sponsoring young girls though high school.

We are all keen to help and we have been fundraising in many ways such as marathons,bike riding, jumble sales, refreshments stalls monthly, grants, selling old CD's and DVD's and clothes,summer fayres, Parties for younger Girl Guiding members such as rainbows, brownies and guides. We need the minimum of a thousand pound each and really as much as we can raise, so please donate thanks very much !!!

Siobhan x