Achievements

When Sense International first started to work in Romania, not only was there was no recognition of deafblindness, there was actually no word for the condition.  A huge success has been that the government now officially recognises deafblindness as a distinct disability in Romania and has started to collect statistics on the numbers of deafblind people in the country. Sense International (Romania) has worked with the government to include deafblindness in the specific legislation for people with disabilities - the Law no. 448/2006.

Sense International (Romania) is proud of the excellent partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research, helping to meet the educational needs of deafblind children. Training courses are organized for special education teachers from all over Romania, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary for working with deafblind children. Moreover, a team of national trainers was created by Sense International (Romania) - this team is now able to train other teachers and provide a resource for the ongoing training and supervision.

Sense International (Romania) recognised the importance of reaching children at risk of deafblindness as early as possible and developed an Early Intervention Programme in partnership with hospitals, schools and kindergartens, giving deafblind children the chance for early diagnosis, treatment and intervention. A multidisciplinary team works towards integrating these children in the community aright from the start and helping them reach their maximum potential.

In order to effect change, it is vital that the voice of deafblind people is heard at the national level.  Sense International (Romania) has been instrumental in the creation of two separate organisations: the Association of Deafblind People in Romania and the Association of Parents with Deafblind Children in Romania. These groups provide powerful support networks and a strong voice for change.