February 24, 2003

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is offering competitive grants to help older children leave residential institutions and integrate into family and community life. This is the newest ChildNet initiative, financed by USAID/Romania in partnership with the Romanian National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption (ANCPA) and the NGO, World Learning. USAID administers the foreign assistance program of the United States, providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than eighty countries worldwide.

Gabriela Coman, Secretary of State for the ANCPA, Bill Saur, ChildNet Chief of Party and Denny Robertson, USAID Mission Director announce a new request for grant applications (RFA). The target population of this solicitation is adolescents living in institutions. Fifteen thousand children - almost half of the institutionalized population - are between the ages of 14 and 18. Mr. Robertson stated, "Providing our vision of safety, permanence and well being for this group, means giving them the skills to live an independent self-sufficient life. It means that they will have a safe place to live, community support, the means to access community support and job skills and employment." The ultimate goal of any child welfare system is to equip the children with essential life skills that will allow them to live as independently as possible. Through this solicitation, USAID will provide adolescents with the practical skills they need to make the transition from life in a residential institution to become well-adjusted and contributing members of society.

Denny Robertson further stated that USAID is seeking new partners in this grant request: "We believe that there is a natural synergy that exists between the business community and adolescents aging out of institutions." The solicitation encourages business partnerships with child welfare NGOs to provide assistance to young people leaving institutions.

USAID/Romania is contributing $15 million over five years to support the ChildNet Program which assists the Government of Romania to implement its Strategy Concerning the Protection of the Child in Difficulty. ChildNet directly supports reform at the local level, promotes community-based strategies to address the full range of children's needs, and advocates for permanent homes for all children. County Departments of Child Protection are integral partners and contribute resources toward the long-term sustainability of the activities. In addition, other community organizations, such as NGOs, mass media, and the business community are actively encouraged to participate.

For more information about ChildNet activities and this grant program, please consult the ChildNet website at www.worldlearning.org/childnet, and the ANCPA website at www.copii.ro.