RAKE is a very small charity set up in 1994 by a group of dedicated volunteers who got together
after witnessing the horrors of some of Romania's childcare institutions in The early 1990s.
Though small we have had an enormous impact on the lives of the children we are helping.
We registered as a charity in 1994, having spent the previous four years working to relieve
some of the hardships for the people in the Vaslui region of Moldavia. We delivered clothes,
shoes and basic toiletries to a number of villages and state childcare institutions. As more
contacts were made with local officials and doctors RAKE was able to bring items which had been
specially requested and would be of greatest use.
In 1993 we met up with Linda, a British paediatric nurse working as a volunteer in a small village
orphanage. This led to a change of focus with less aid trips being made and more effort being put
into changing the lives of the children in the orphanage. Initially we funded extra staff and
supported Linda. The closing of the orphanage in 1994 led to the building of Casa Linda in the
town of Husi. Casa Linda provides a home for 16 children where they can flourish and fulfil
their full potential.
Since 1996 RAKE's efforts have been almost entirely connected to the town of Husi, centred around
Casa Linda. Aid trips are still made but on a much reduced scale and are mainly to supply
specific items to the local hospital and Casa Linda.
The charity sponsors Helen, a British special needs teacher who lives in Romania and co-ordinates
the running of Casa Linda and our other projects. These include helping some of the poorest
families in the surrounding villages by enabling them to access medical attention and
state benefits, funding the training of individuals in childcare, nursing and speech
therapy, helping children in the large state run orphanages receive medical attention,
providingtransport for local groups and funding the building of a children's play area
to mention but a few.
We are still a very small charity run on a purely voluntary basis. Like so many others who
visited Romania in those early years just after the revolution we found it impossible to make
just one trip!
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require more information.
(click here to contact us)
