One might not think that undernourishment is present in Romania today. Very few people are aware that dystrophy or abnormal development in babies and small children is usually due to malnutrition caused by an improper or inadequate diet and nutrition.

    The Spitalul Clinic de Copii Cluj-Napoca Sectia de Distrofici in str.Eremia Grigorescu nr.106 in Cluj cares for such babies and children. Most of them suffer from chronic development irregularities and need a lot of constant care from the time of their birth. In most cases, malnutrition is related to social causes and is typically associated with the mother's nutritional, disease and infection status at the time of conception.

    The Little People organisation provides a permanent psychologist and teams of volunteers who visit these children every day to provide stimulation exercises and early development activities. The activities can be as simple as taking out the babies for fresh air, play peek-a-boo, or teach them to roll over or learn to sit up. Receiving stimuli that a healthy child would be given at home is key for their development.

The little people renovated the lower rooms in 2006 and the upper level in 2007 - with the help from the UK magazine “myweekly” the little people have been able to provide much needed development equipment - and special oxygen chambers. Little people do not publish photo’s of the children's faces to protect the children and to comply to Romanian law and to.

If you would like to volunteer and get involved in this fantastic project contact Katie Rizvi - katie@thelittle-people.org