In preparation for Becoming One this November, Mary Ward International is working with the Congregation of Jesus (CJ Sisters) to advance their mission in Rădăuti, Romania. Grounded in the shared charism of Mary Ward, this new partnership reflects a joint commitment to providing vulnerable children with education and opportunity.
In the town of Rădăuti, near Romania’s northern border with Ukraine, the CJ Sisters are leading an after-school program that brings long-term opportunity and care to some of the most vulnerable children and families in the region. While the Sisters have played an important humanitarian role in the Ukrainian refugee crisis, their central mission remains focused on building a future of dignity and independence for local children, especially girls, who face the daily realities of poverty, exclusion, and limited access to education.
In Rădăuti, the Sisters run Centrul Maria Ward, a social centre that provides daily care for seventy children aged four to fifteen, most of them girls. These children come from families experiencing extreme hardship, often affected by the long-term impacts of poverty. The Centre provides a structured environment that helps children stay in school and achieve academic success.
Each afternoon, the children arrive at the Centre to receive a hot lunch and homework assistance, a vital lifeline, as many parents are unable to provide academic support at home. Later in the day, the children are served a home-cooked dinner before returning to their families.
The program places a strong emphasis on educational development, with after-school tutoring, career guidance, and school supplies helping children to feel prepared and confident in the classroom. Cultural and educational activities reinforce learning while nurturing creativity and critical thinking. The Centre emphasises personal care and emotional wellbeing. Individual psychological counselling, speech therapy, and emotional care are available for those experiencing trauma or instability, and many children use the Centre’s washing and laundry facilities.
Alongside academic and practical assistance, social development is a key part of the Centre’s work. Children are encouraged to grow in confidence, learn healthy interpersonal skills, and build resilience through recreation and structured peer interactions. The Centre’s staff and volunteers work closely with each child to ensure they feel seen, supported, and capable of shaping their own future. Life-skills education equips older children with the tools to live independently and with dignity.
Recognising that children thrive when their families are strong, the project includes services for parents, especially mothers, through counselling and material assistance. These services include food assistance, help with accessing medication, and guidance in parenting, mental health, and crisis management. These wraparound efforts strengthen family relationships, reduce the risk of child–family separation, and help create more stable home environments.
While challenges remain, the Sisters continue their steadfast commitment to education and long-term development. In a region where early school leaving is common and poverty can shape a child’s future before they even begin, this after-school program is making a real difference.
With Mary Ward International’s support, the Sisters are helping children stay in school, grow in confidence, and discover their full potential. Most importantly, this investment ensures children in Rădăuti are not left behind. Instead of a future limited by poverty, they are offered the tools to build a life shaped by possibility.
Although the war in Ukraine has brought additional pressure to the region, it has also shown the adaptability of the Sisters. In early 2022, the Centre became an active part of the refugee response, distributing warm clothing, food, and hygiene supplies to families fleeing Ukraine, many of whom were accompanied by young children and students.
The Sisters also opened their laundry facilities to wash bedding from refugee shelters and provided temporary accommodation for displaced families and humanitarian workers when no other space was available.
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