Back on the Isle of Man

Packed & Ready to go

Some people go away and come home to a house which was just the same as they left it, (well as long as they did not leave teenage children minding the place!) Maybe a neighbour comes in to water the plants, even feed the cats but basically the house is the same. We are often blessed to come home to our house with more in it than when we left. I remember once when we came back to our house in Andreas, one of the first things I did was to go to the outhouse to put a load of washing in the machine. The only problem was the washing machine was completely buried under about 20 large black bin bags. This time it was our dining room table, bags of clothes, craft materials, toys & toiletries. They are now all sorted and will either go back to Romania with us in November or on the next shipment.

If anyone is having a clear out or wants to donate some items the following are particularly useful. Shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, felt tips, coloured pencils, craft materials, jigsaw puzzles (under 300 pieces) children’s clothes, socks, tights and shoes. Many of these items are more expensive to buy in Romania and are unaffordable by the people we help.

Of course funds are always needed too and you can see on our web site www.handsofhope.org.im ways to donate by cheque or our PayPal account.

Family allowance is less than £9 per month per child. For some of the families we help, this is their only income!


Mirela, Vasille and 4 of their 5 children

2011 House Build

£15000 builds a home for a family

£500 pays for a year’s college/university fees.

£500 sinks a new well, fits a hand pump and concrete surround

Cosmin February 2011

£216 pays for part of one course of chemotherapy treatment for a Cosmin. Cosmin had a malignant tumour removed from his back in July and is now having chemotherapy. But the hospital has not got the budget available to purchase all the medications required.

£20 pays of a food parcel. Mămăligă which is made from cornmeal (polenta) is a staple food and for poorer families can often be the only food eaten. A food parcel helps to give a wider variety and more nutrition to the family’s diet and the parcel also contains cleaning products.

£10 pays to refill a gas bottle.

£4 pays for one child’s school bus fares for a week

25p buys an 800g loaf of bread.

Family allowance is less than £9 per month per child. For some of the families we help, this is their only income!