Young adult members and missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered in Țuțora near Iaşi in Romania with a Habitat for Humanity team to help with the construction of homes for families in need in late September of 2023. Over a two-day period, these volunteers, as well as the families receiving the homes, built roof trusses, applied stucco, painted, put up dry wall, and more.
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that is set on building and fixing homes for people in poverty. The charity has built homes and worked in more than 70 countries, giving people all over the world a chance to have the shelter of their own home.
“You can find many statistics regarding poverty in Romania,” said Adrian Magda, the coordinator for the project. “You can find two or three generations living under the same roof or apartment. Almost a third of Romanians are living like this. Almost half of the households, especially those in the rural areas, still don’t have a toilet inside of the house.”
“For many water still comes from the wells. Not something that is modern like it is supposed to be,” Magda added.
The houses being built are designed to provide adequate living space to comfortably fit the families moving in, along with having adequate plumbing, running water, and electricity for proper lighting and appliances – luxuries that these families did not have before.
The group of volunteers involved came from all over Romania, and even Europe, Putting aside work or school to join in with the construction. To make this possible, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints did not only provide volunteers, but funded the project to help supply the building materials. Alongside the volunteers, the families receiving the houses being built were also helping in the construction.
At the conclusion of the second day, after one of the duplexes was finished, all gathered. The families receiving the homes were presented with keys, showing them that they were now homeowners. Among them was Daniella who said: “We are very grateful for your help, for building this house we are calling home.”
Roberto Pătrășcoiu, Director for Habitat for Humanity in Romania, said: “I just wanted to express my deep gratitude to Latter-day Saint Charities.” He added: 'Your help goes beyond just building four walls and a roof. It’s a new home for two families.”