ADRIANA CONSTANTINESCU, vicepresident, executive director of the JOYO Foundation - bachelor in sociology and psychology, social pedagogy, master in organizational management and human resources; an experience of 20 years in the social field
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VICTORIA CALAFIR, psychologist - bachelor in sociology and psychology, social pedagogy; an experience of 21 years in the social field
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IULIA CLAUDIA DOLIPSCHI, psychologist - bachelor in psychology and social assistance; masters in fundamental interventions of personal development and psychotherapy
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VICTOR CONSTANTINESCU, professor - bachelor in philology; 48 years experience of teaching and 10 years experience in the social field
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ALINA CRISTINA SANDU, social worker - bachelor in social assistance; masters in social assistance
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CATALINA MARELE, social worker - bachelor in social assistance; masterand in social assistance
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ILEANA HALIP, social worker - bachelor in social assistance; masterand in social assistance
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LOREDANA CHIRALES, social pedagogue - bachelor in social assistance; masters in social assistance
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GEORGIANA GHINEA, social pedagogue - bachelor in foreign languages
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MADALINA HOTESCU, social pedagogue - bachelor in letters; masterand in social assistance
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DUMITRITA MANOLE, social pedagogue - bachelor in social assistance; masterand in social assistance
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RAMONA CERNAT, Marketing and Public Relations responsible - bachelor in economy; masters in economy
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VOICES FROM THE TEAM
ADRIANA CONSTANTINESCU, social pedagogue and licensed psychologist and the head of the JOYO Foundation in Bucharest, tells us:
«During the summer of 2001, I lead a group of people interested in social welfare to visit various orphanages and NGO centers in Bucharest. Included in the group was Rita Ebbecke - one of the co-founders of our organization. We bonded immediately; two people from different cultures, but with a similar outlook on the needs of community. As a conclusion of her Romanian trip, Rita asked me if I would be interested in building with her an independent, voluntary association in the Bucharest area, to simply help the underprivileged in any way useful. Rita planned on going home to raise money from her friends and would leave SF 500 which she had with her.
As for myself, behind me laid ten years of social work and it was clear to me that prevention would be the only way to save children from misery and poverty: I accepted her offer on the spot.
At the time, no one had considered a private social project. We began simply with the most urgent needs. I brought groceries, shoes and clothing to the neediest families of the local community, then I began to help the children with their homework. In the conditions offered by their homes, often one couldn’t do anything for their school training. Consequently, it became clear that in these cases, LASTING and well-organized support would be necessary, in order to have its effects really leading to a good development of the children.
To bring this idea of a sound and durable support of the underprivileged children and youth of Bucharest to fruition, the Ebbecke family created, with the help of Bucharest public authorities, the JOYO Foundation.
The initiative of the Foundation progressed, step by step, becoming a multilateral social project, so that in the past six years, we have been able to give lasting help to the underprivileged children and teens, by getting them off the streets and reintegrating them into school, improving their health and hygiene and preparing them for the professional life.
The parents of many of the children and youngsters in our care, were also morally and financially supported and educated, so that they would be able to responsibly accomplish their parental duties.
Thanks to the ideals and compassion of our sponsors from the Swiss Confederation and Germany, as well to the social consciousness of our Romanian co-workers and supporters, the construction and functioning of the “Florian House” - our Day Center in which the children can play, work, and prepare for a job, became reality.
Our team is deeply grateful to all those who support the cause of our foundation. Through their good-will and efforts and through our striving, many lives were touched and changed for the better.
I believe with all my heart that poverty is not a proper destiny to any child of this world. I am always very happy when we can, in some way, help our children and youngsters to lead a normal family life, to learn and develop harmoniously, thus preparing themselves for a better future.”
VICTOR CONSTANTINESCU, teacher, responsible for the educational program:
«I have worked all my life with children; my goal has always been to make sure that they strive for all beautiful and useful things in life, despite the difficulties and challenges they are faced with, on a daily basis. These children display every day their special potential to us, teachers and let us hope that neither our efforts, nor their own, will not be in vain.»
«Ever since I can remember I have loved children. I started to work in the field of child protection sixteen years ago, even though I didn’t have a diploma in this domain. Child protection was very appealing to me, I felt like I was the right person at the right place and I perfected my studies by following the courses of a social pedagogy school. Urged by the desire to better understand the spirit of the children, I also graduated the Faculty of Psychology. Together with the Joyo Foundation Team, I want to accomplish wonderful things for these children and youngsters, to offer all those around me a little bit of my soul».
