Support for 200 vulnerable children and mothers

FIrstly, we are so grateful for all the donations towards our project, they have made a great impact already!

Here is what has happend since our last report:

- In December Romi's Way team collected clothing items to be donated to the families affected by the hurricane in October 2019 as well as to low income families in the Azores Island. We received alot of clothing in execllent condition and our volunteer team members folded and packed all items. People really made an effort with the donations and we were touched by the care they put in washing all items and making sure they looked nice and ready face a new home.

- We had a meeting with Caritas Portugal and agreed to partner on this support project, and agreed Caritas can receive the shipped items and arrange the distribution while providing Romi's Way some detials (including video and picture evidence) and feedback 

- We have packed and shipped (see the video link attached to our facebook update) all items in January, but unfortunately the shipping process was not very smooth and the items have still not reached their final destinateion and the item are in Floris Island (as part of the Azores island group). After some intense follow up, they are now ready to be shipped to the final destination and be distributed

- We have distributed a survey asking about feelings and thoughts about climate change and its effects. Survey restuls are to be collected mid-MArch and report prepared by end of March (to be published in our next report!)

- We have used the GlobalGiving donations to various ways- mainly covering shipping costs, purchasing a legal stamp for Romi's Way, covering our monthly website and email costs, accounting fees and printing costs for the survey and advocay leaflets 

We are exited and grateful for any and all support towards our work. More we receive, more we can do. We would love to reach 200 children and with sustained fundign we can open systematic project actiiteis for them in Central Portugal and in the Azores Islands. Thank you!

Links:

• Survey for Azores hurricane affected school communities
• Post from Romi's Way Facebook page

During the summer 2019, the Romi's Way team resolved to do something in support of children in Portugal vulnerable to abuse, trauma, disability, neglectance or affected by the low/no-income status of their parents. These circumstances lead children to be at high risk of dropping out of school or facing challenges to keep up with development. We wanted to do this because the future deserves adults who can make healthy decisions for themselves, for their communities, and for living nature around them and for the future in general. Children who suffer from vulnerabilties during their childhood years, have a significantly higher risk ar running into trouble in the later life and making decisions that can be harmful for them, for people and animals around them and for the environment. We strongly consider early mitigation and support to be abcolustly crucial.

Through the ongoing GlobalGiving campaing Romi's Way had a chance to bring our project out and seek global support as well as a partnership with GlobalGiving. In order for the full project to take place and for 200 children to be systematically supported, we are in need of 43,322Euros. We are excited that every donation goes towards this initiative and will be until we reach the final goal. Through the campaign, Romi's Way received 1046Euros from 46 donations. Due to our efforts, we were granted a GlobalGiving partnership and allowed to continue with our campaign as well as take part on future project campaigns. Our whole team is extremely exchited about this!

Since the first-phase of the campaing was closed, we want to provide an update on what has happened to date and what has been done with the given funds so far - noting that we are still in the phase of collecting towards the final goal in order to start the full project: 

- We have held meetings & arranged a future meetings with Coimbra municipality to seek for a land/ building to start as base for the activities (and potentially later as a Romi's Way School) 

- We have made a partnership with European Equine Welfare Association (EEWA) and agreed on the way forward for adopting abused therapy horses to be used for the project, we have also selected the location for the activities and agreed on designing an coloring book addressing animal welfare issues which will be given to the 200 children supported under this project (or if the project is not fully funded, they can be linked to a different activity)

- We have started to prepare supporting materials in Portuguese and will translate them to English in the coming months

- We have covered small legislation and accounting costs, website cost and purchase of official company stamp 

- We held a remote (Skype) board of directors meeting agreeing on the way forward and building on our donor mapping and fundraising strategies 

Links:

• 4- articles from people who inspire us