Co-ordinator: Mary Turner

Muzika has worked extensively in Bacau County for the last 15 years, and has partnership programmes with Fundatia de Sprijin Comunitar(Foundation for Community Help or FSC) where it has trained and often worked with Romanian Combined Arts workers from their IMPART team.  Joint projects with Action Space Mobile and Relief Fund for Romania have been organised and / or supported. These have included conferences and arts camps of national importance. Muzika has also worked extensively with Vali Racila, a psychologist, musician and actor who carries on the work and supports the projects. He is also an English speaker. Much follow up work is done by the Impart team led by Lenuta Nastac.

Areas of work in Bacau County

The aim of the work has changed over the years from dealing with very bad situations to training programmes addressing particular need or demands from the institutions or other NGOs. There has been continuity of contact with many of the residents from orphanage age into adult mental hospitals and now to the Centres for Recuperation (CRRN).

Programmes range from massage and tactile stimulus for the severely disabled through to music, movement, drama, art and crafts. Club rooms have been given equipment and instruments which have led to the development of craft workshops, a theatre company and a choir.

CRRN Racaciuni, known as Gisteni, led by Director Dr Ovidiu Necula, is a large institution for adults with learning disabilities and mental illness. At one time in a very bad condition, it is now a flagship centre. Vali Racila has been provided with accommodation and there are work rooms, a club room, a video studio and a touring theatre company. Some of the residents are now returning to their families or learning to live in supported, independent housing. Staff and residents welcome input from many foreign NGOs including Muzika.

CRRP Vermesti, directed by Dr. Mircea Doran, is a smaller institution of 80 residents with mental health problems. It is a newly built complex which houses people originally in the Tirgu Ocna Penitentiary, and who are unlikely to return to their homes. The staff are eager and willing to learn new approaches to mental health and new skills so that they can develop workshops.

CRRN Ungureni directed by Dr Stela Achivei is a large hospital for people with complex and multiple disabilities. The hospital is far from the town of Bacau and is sometimes cut off in winter time. The conditions are basic and though they have had much input the regime is very limited. Recently 50 residents were moved to a new hospital in Tirgu Ocna and have made rapid improvements. Muzika has an ongoing series of inputs and a watching brief on the proposed closure of the facility.

CIA Costache Negri in Tirgu Ocna, (Director Florin Liliac) is housed in an old hospital that has been recently renovated to house 50 ex-residents from Ungureni. There are good facilities and some therapeutic staff. More training of care staff particularly in music would be appreciated. The residents are transforming themselves in the new surroundings.

Sheltered Housing in Tirgu Ocna (also directed by Florin Liliac) is a block of apartments where ex-residents from Gisteni are housed in double or single rooms with their own facilities. This is supported living, and includes a club room where there are educational and leisure facilities. Some people have gained employment in the town. The residents, very pleased to see old friends, produced a short performance and learnt about massage with one resident being taught how to carry on the programme.

Casa Pistruiatul is a refuge for street children and a day support for neglected children run by FSC in the town of Bacau. Educational programmes take place with the aim of returning the children to school.

Buhusi Hospital for Mental Illness is a dismal place in an old building near a railway line. It is not under the jurisdiction of the Directorate but is a neglected wing of Bacau hospital. FSC does a weekly visit with craft activities and a short visit was made when the film “Caci totusi ca voi sunt” was made in 2005. Staff are not supportive. A short programme was run about 7 years ago and is continued by FSC. A music therapy programme or massage would be appropriate if permission to run it could be obtained.

We have contact with the Directorate for People with Disabilties (Directors Mr Brasoveanu and Daniela Titaru) who granted us permission to work in their institutions and issued a contract of collaboration.

Institutions in Onesti, Comenesti and the special school in Bacau have been visited but no substantial work has been undertaken in recent years. Where a director is proactive, Muzika is often invited to deliver a programme.

A film “Caci totusi ca voi sint” showing Muzika’s work in all the institutes in Bacau is available in English or Romanian from Brenda Norreys at Muzika Charitable Trust or Action Space Mobile. Price £10 plus postage or a donation.