Non-reimbursable European funding totaling €928,000 (RON 4,879,861.98) has been formally approved for a specialized social welfare initiative in Babadag, Tulcea County, Romania. The project, titled “Home care services for the elderly in the city of Babadag”, is being implemented through a public-private partnership between the Babadag City Hall and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Romania. Financed by the Ministry of Investments and European Projects through the Social Inclusion and Dignity Program (PIDS)—specifically under Action 6.1—the 40-month project began operations on September 1, 2026, and will run through December 1, 2029.
The initiative's primary mandate is the creation and delivery of accredited, personalized home care services for 106 vulnerable and marginalized elderly residents. By supporting seniors directly within their living environments, the initiative aims to enhance their overall quality of life, maintain their functional autonomy, and ensure a secure setting tailored to their daily needs.
Framing the organization's involvement in the partnership, Robert Georgescu, executive director of ADRA Romania, stated:
"For ADRA Romania, the project represents a natural continuation of the organization's experience and expertise in the field of assistance to disadvantaged social categories. Through the support provided through non-reimbursable financing, ADRA Romania will be able to support over 100 people from marginalized communities in Babadag City, offering them care, support, and attention services, as well as the opportunity to preserve their dignity and autonomy."
Georgescu further emphasized that the initiative aligns with the agency's broader institutional mission of transforming direct assistance into sustainable social inclusion:
"Caring for people means more than intervening in the face of an immediate need. It means being present, listening, supporting, and contributing to building communities in which each person feels valued and included. Thus, through the projects it implements under the motto 'Justice. Compassion. Love', ADRA Romania continues to transform the support provided into opportunities for a better life, by promoting social inclusion, human values, and respect for the dignity of each person."
Operationally, the project focuses on three main objectives: establishing a dedicated home care service unit within Babadag City Hall, executing continuous direct care plans for the designated beneficiaries, and promoting active aging strategies designed to mitigate social isolation and prevent institutionalization.
Expanding on the operational scope and public-private synergy, Valentina Sturzu-Cozorici, program director of ADRA Romania, highlighted the strategic value of the collaboration for local beneficiaries:
"On this occasion, we turn our attention to the needs of the grandparents of Babadag, offering them personalized home care services, so that we know they are healthy, active, and happy. Our organization joins local authorities again, bringing value to community interventions and strengthening the public-private partnership. For them, the support offered can mean more than concrete help: it can represent a chance for inclusion, autonomy, safety, and a life lived with dignity."
This initiative reinforces local public-private cooperation by combining municipal administrative resources with the operational expertise of ADRA Romania, an accredited social service provider operating in the country since 1990 as part of the global ADRA International network. By building local social care infrastructure, the partnership addresses critical gaps in elder care within vulnerable communities, aligning regional social assistance standards with European Union guidelines for human dignity and active social inclusion.
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