The project Mother, hero in the family race took place between 15.06.2019 - 15.10.2019 and was addressed to mothers and children in difficult situations, coming from underprivileged people living on the edge of poverty, at risk of abandoning children or dropping out of school, but also with various health problems.

These moms are always tense, focused on survival, ways to raise their children with them, neglecting themselves in many points of view. They are young people who come from placement centers or dysfunctional families, who have gone through many traumas and at one point tried to establish a family that they have missed so much.

We all know how overwhelming the role of a mother can be, how many challenges, borderline situations, periods of exhaustion, stress, helplessness, all this in a bundle with joy, fulfillment and beauty as a parent. This role is even more difficult if it is unplanned and the material, financial, personal resources are minimal or non-existent. It is a difficult role if there is no outside support and understanding.

The project included 7 mothers with 19 children aged between 2 months and 12 years.

The main activities of the project were aimed at:

• development of parental skills through participation in a module of parental education carried out by a specialist;
• personal development and self-awareness through the participation of mothers in group therapy in order to maintain the mental balance;
• Recreation/socializing activities for mothers (hairdresser, manicure, relaxation and therapeutic massage, two days camp in Moeciu de Sus, etc.);
• material support (pampers, food, sanitation, etc.)
• raising awareness and informing the public opinion regarding the particularities of our target group and reducing the risk of marginalization, social exclusion and abandonment.

The major impact of the project is to prevent the abandonment of children by transforming these women into mothers capable of raising their children in a dignified, adequate and balanced way, but also the interruption of a defective dysfunctional family pattern.

As a general picture, mothers have been able to develop skills and abilities, improved their mental balance and visibly reduced the effects of isolation, marginalization and stigmatization, mothers have gained more confidence and now they want more from life (to engage, to take training courses, to get out of toxic relationships, etc.).

The children benefited from a number of fun and socio-educational activities (games, outings, visiting the attractions in Superland, interacting with children in the community).

The activities they participated in brought to both mothers and their children a change in the quality of their life: increasing self-esteem and self-confidence, raising awareness and capitalizing on their own resources, expressing and externalizing their inner feelings and experiences, overcoming difficult situations, developing skills, etc.