1995 – A group of French volunteers lead by Elizabeth De La Palme provides material and medical help, as well as a pedagogical and psychological support for Romanian children in orphanages and hospitals, that everyone seems to have forgotten about. The group fights for the children through the “green blouses”, which are romanian volunteers giving their time and affection to these children. In addition, as reinforcement, the group calls upon wives of expatriates in Romania. The campaign was an overwhelmingly great success, which created a snowball effect.
1999 – Creation of the organization “Valentina France”, affiliated with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society, which serves as a true guardian by providing the new organization with notoriety and financial support.
1996 – 2002 – Concrete actions on the ground in Romania, such as sending a dozen young nurse trainees to orphanages and hospitals in several cities in Romania, in particular to Bondimex Hospital in Bucharest. These actions are carried out through many contacts and partnerships with other groups or associations working in Romania with the same goal.
2002 – Creation of “Valentina România”, the Romanian component of Valentina with the recruitment of Romanian staff to lead local actions. A large autonomy and a real local structure is established. As the situation is getting better in orphanages, the team starts with the goal of preventing school dropout and family abandonment for children living in Sector 5 of Bucharest, in the disadvantaged neighborhood of Ferentari.
2006 – Valentina România opens Casa Valentina, its day care center and shelter, where children are being helped with tutoring, multidisciplinary assistance, early stimulation and hot meals. The Casa is located just outside the Ferentari neighborhood and welcomes each day more than 40 children from 7 to 15 years old.
2009 – Valentina România expands its activities with the creation of its own sewing and fashion workshop “MIA”. It now allows mothers to receive support through professional training.
2016 – Valentina România decides to provide an extended support for adolescents towards adulthood.
– Elizabeth De La Palme, founder of Valentina, passed away, after a very full life helping the poorest with the organization Saint Vincent de Paul.
Today – Valentina is helping 100 children per year, which have been chosen by our team of professionals after a close examination of the families’ needs.
Who was Elizabeth De La Palme?
A handful of greying wicks behind her round glasses, Elizabeth has the keen gaze of passionate people: humanitarian work stick to her skin.
After several trips to Thailand and Egypt, she set her sights on Romania. Indeed during a visit to a children’s hospital in 1995, she finds out that toddlers are being attached to the bars of their bed, with unqualified staff to take care of them. After the fall of Ceausescu’s regime more than 120 000 children are left on their own in the quasi-prison environment of Romanian hospitals. Outraged, Elizabeth decides to act.
Thus, in more than 15 years, Elizabeth, assisted by Olivier de Kervenoël and Anne-Marie Laureau, will have made it possible to set up all of Valentina’s activities.
In June 2012, Elizabeth paid a last visit to the Casa Valentina in Bucharest, in the country of the people she has loved so much, especially children.
Valentina and the Romanian children owe her huge gratitude for her success and generosity!