A former journalist and her husband managed to rehabilitate a former communist protocol villa, left in disrepair, and turned it into a free center for street people. Dozens of sick and abandoned people on the streets are fed, cared for and comforted with the help of donations.
Casa Nicolae, the “sanctuary” of street people PHOTO Happy Association
In Romania, last year, there were 31,000 homeless people. Some of them ended up on the streets because of vices or a disorganized life, but others were abandoned by their families, victims of naivety or simply bad luck. There are also those who actually lived in disorganized families and at some point, without any assets or income, they ended up living on what they found in containers. For many of these poor, procuring daily food is a real burden. Many, older or sick, go hungry day by day. They live in the rain, wind and many die, especially in winter, unknown to anyone, through sinkholes or canals. For the Romanian state, they are people who almost don’t exist.
Those hosted at Casa Nicolae are involved in household activities PHOTO Happy Association
They have no domicile, no income and implicitly do not pay taxes, have no health insurance. Moved by the drama of many street people, unjustly put in that situation, a former journalist from Botoșani, Ionela Ivan, together with her husband, Cristi, mobilized to save as many as possible, especially on the eve of winter. Four years ago, they set up a project that seemed impossible, a center where sick and hungry street people could live a decent life. Since 2020, dozens of street people enjoy a hot meal, a clean room and a decent, humane life. Hundreds of other victims received a warm meal and clothes when they needed it most. Casa Nicolae, as the center designed by Ionela and Cristi was called, became a real “sanctuary” for street people.
From television to humanitarian action
It all started from the social dramas that marked Ionela. A graduate of the “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University in Iasi, Ionela Ivan Tudose decided to leave engineering and dedicate herself to a new passion, television. He was a television reporter in the municipality of Botoșani and produced numerous materials with a social theme. She was impressed by the suffering of people, especially children. All of this determined her to give up everything she was doing and dedicate herself to the social and charity field.
What the protocol villa looked like before rehabilitation PHOTO Happy Association
“I used to leave such cases with tears in my eyes. I felt upset and helpless at the same time. I was outraged by people’s indifference to fellow sufferers. And then I said that anyone can fight for what they believe. To me it’s a sign of cowardice to see all the things I’ve seen and pretend they don’t exist. My husband always supported me unconditionally and we started together on this road, of helping, of charity. It’s very difficult, but I’ve proven that nothing is impossible if you’re involved with all your heart”confesses Ionela. In 2012, when she was 29 years old, together with her husband she founded the association HAPPY (Help Act Protect Provide Yield). They began to do everything possible to help poor children, needy families, the elderly. They collected clothes, food, shoes and distributed them where needed. Until the abolition of the Botoșani Placement Centers, Ionelei’s association was the main provider of abandoned children.
Lunar clothed them, gave them shoes and donated food. It mobilized an entire community to donate and support those in need. After two years of work, Ionela Ivan Tudose began to offer, with the help of kind-hearted doctors, check-ups and medical interventions for needy people who could not afford them. Many were sent for treatment from the funds collected by the association or with the help of doctors with big hearts. In fact, many families were reunited with the help of the association. Over the course of 12 years, the HAPPY association has managed to clothe, feed and provide access to medical services to hundreds or even thousands of needy Botošan residents. ” HAPPY was in my soul before I realized this. We did what our souls led us to do”says Ionela.
Ceaușescu’s villa, from ruin to sanctuary of street people
In addition to children, the elderly and, in general, needy families, Ionela and Cristi, through the association, offered hot food to street people. For years, especially in winter, the homeless were manned and clothed by association. But Ionela felt that it was not enough. Many died or had their legs amputated from frostbite. They did not have a roof over their heads and the health of many was deteriorating. They could only be kept in hospitals for a limited time. “Many times I went to the streets and gave clothes and food to homeless people. But we realized that we are not doing enough. We had to save them in the true sense of the word. Let’s take them off the streets and get them out of the hardships of that life”confesses Ionela.
Dozens of people are fed daily PHOTO Happy Association
That’s how the idea of a free center for the homeless came about. It seemed too ambitious an idea, if not an impossible dream. With the help of some friends, Ionela and Cristi found a former house of protocol of the communist protipendada, in the village of Rădeni, Frumușica commune. The locals call it “Ceaușescu’s Villa”. Before 1989, party activists and party officials used to meet here for parties. And this, given that the area is famous for the best quality wine and brandy. After that collected donations and sponsorships, Ionela and Cristi managed to rehabilitate the old protocol house, which was in disrepair. Slowly, slowly, the impossible dream of the Ivan-Tudoses became possible. The communist ruin was transformed into a dream center for the people of the street have arrived here. At the moment, 60 people are fed and housed with hard-earned donations. They have clean rooms and food for many of them it was the first roof over their heads in years. Others have never had such good conditions. There are all kinds of people, some are terminally ill. They have all got used to it with this sanctuary of street people and send those whose situation I can no longer manage. Some come directly from the hospital, by ambulance, to Casa Nicolae.
People gathered at the consecration of the Nicolae House
“They are brought or come willingly from all corners of the county, many with incurable diseases or terminally ill, all of them were welcomed with open arms at Casa Nicolae. We have a huge yard, laid out with taste and dedication. In this place, live dozens of souls doomed by fate and without any purpose in life. The well-kept garden, the kitchen equipped with the essentials, the clean and sanitized rooms, a small library, a chic corner where the guests can gather around the table”says Cristi. Casa Nicolae was consecrated by a council of priests led by the Most Reverend Nechifor Botoșaneanul. “Casa Nicolae is not just a place, it is the fulfillment of our dream to help people in need, to offer them shelter and hope. Today, the sanctification of the house was like a divine crown, placed over this house, protected by the saints and God. Every day here is a blessing, because God sends us not only souls who need help, but also generous people and donations that make this project possible“, stated Ionela Ivan Tudose.
