“One day I will stand on my own feet.” A journey into Romania, where one in five children drops out of school.

The idea came from Mihaela, a social worker who decided to address the lack of educational services for children and adolescents by creating a day center that welcomes them, providing two meals a day and the opportunity to take part in learning and personal development activities.

Among the more than 20,000 children supported by Ana și Copiii is Maria, a 16-year-old who grew up in a home where space is scarce and opportunities even more so. Maria dreams of continuing her studies so that one day she can “stand on her own feet” and also support her mother and her siblings.

There are several reasons. Low household income is one of the main factors, as it limits the ability to cover the costs of education (from school materials to transportation to reach school). There is also the issue of parents migrating abroad: especially after Romania joined the European Union in 2007, many adults began seeking opportunities in Western European countries. The result, particularly in rural areas, has been devastating. Many minors grow up without one or both parents, often dropping out of school early to work or to take care of younger siblings.

Finally, there are more personal factors, ranging from early pregnancies to disabilities and special educational needs, which are not adequately supported by the mainstream school system. Ana și Copiii operates within this context, with the support of the UniCredit Foundation, private companies, donations, and, to a lesser extent, a contribution from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

Mihaela, one of the founders of the Association, explained to Open that in 2007, when Romania was preparing to join the European Union, many institutions for children in need were forced to close because they did not meet European standards for child protection. The reform required moving away from the model of large orphanages toward foster care and community-based social services, but in practice this led to children being returned to their families of origin, which were often marked by significant hardship.

Ana și Copiii was the first day center in Romania to propose a comprehensive approach, capable of working both with children and with their families to provide 360-degree support. Much of the work is still carried out by volunteers, who step in where the state has withdrawn its support.

Robotics, for example, becomes a tool to connect theory and practice: mathematics, electronics, programming, and even art come together in hands-on activities, allowing students to see how the knowledge they acquire at school can be applied. “Many times they tell us: ‘Now math is more interesting, now I understand why,’” explain the educators. “Here they find an answer, because they transform information into something tangible. And that’s the moment when you realize you’ve done your job well.”

Alongside more technical activities, there is also space for paths such as music therapy, based on listening and music. “Listening changes the spirit” is one of the program’s slogans: music is used to help young people regain inner balance, offering a space where they can pause, reflect, and connect with themselves. All these experiences share a common goal: to give young people the tools to look beyond the present and imagine a future that they can shape entirely with their own hands.

“My childhood was strange,” she says, explaining that she had to find a balance between family, school, and the need to have time for herself. Over the years, Ana și Copiii has become for her a place different from both school and home: a safe space where she can study, make friends, take part in summer camps, courses, and activities, but also learn to recognize and manage her emotions and get to know herself.

Today Maria dreams of going to university; she would like to study marketing and finance and imagines her future as a path toward independence. “I just want to be independent,” she says. Her goal is to support herself, help her mother and siblings, and continue along what she calls “a good path.”

Her relationship with Mihaela, however, began many years earlier. Mihaela met her when she was just over three years old, while working in a residential care center. She was the youngest among the children being supported, and also the one who needed the most help: she lived with her family in very difficult conditions, in a dilapidated home, without stability or support. When that center closed, Ana’s family was not able to take care of her. Mihaela took her in and raised her as her own daughter, supporting her both in her education and in everyday life.

For Ana, that journey was decisive not only from an educational perspective, but above all on an emotional level: she found trusted adults, psychological support, and a safe environment where she could begin to feel protected again. “Without the association, I wouldn’t have become the person I am today,” she told Open. When it came time to choose a name for the project, Mihaela wanted it to include the name of one of the children involved. And so Ana și Copiii, “Ana and the Children,” was born: the name of one child becoming the symbol of all those who would come after.