In 1991, HUG recognized the tremendous need to improve the antiquated Casa de Copii(Romanian for House of the Children), an orphanage for children ages 7 - 18, in Rosiorri de Vede. The vision of Mr. Maraneci, former director of the Casa de Copii and member of the parliament, was to begin to de institutionalize the system, long before the Department of Child protection organized the need.

HUG supported his vision of

1) building an orphanage with a more family-like setting and

2) the group home apartment system

The bedrooms, with study areas in each, are for four children instead of 16 or more. Social rooms are at the end of each hall.

Because of Mr. Maraneci's plan, the building has slowly been constructed. Through 2000, money procured at the end of each fiscal year from the Department of Education has been added to the fund to bring this project to completion.

Home Life comes to Romania
In 1991, HUG established the first group home apartments in Romania in Rosiorri de Vede. Twelve children, "true" orphans -- those who have no family -- who are deemed to have the best aptitude for higher learning, were eligible for this group home situation. Siblings are kept together, and married couples serve as "parents" in each home. During the day, the wife provides meals and care; her husband ensures the welfare of the children at night. Educators help the children acquire the skills needed to get and keep a job.

The HUG group home apartment system, once a new concept in Romania, was used as a model for the directors of all the Casa de Copiis throughout the country by the then Ministry of Education. As all orphanages are closed (with the exception of the handicapped children), all children are placed wither in group apartments, homes built for 8-12 children in the villages they came from (if possible) or back with their families. The apartment system is now used as the model for the government facilities.

HUG is proud to be the example of de institutionalization that le the way to all children living in home environments along with the Department of Child Protection and its authorities through the year, many of HUG's programs that were implemented became examples for other countries to emulate.