Biggest part of youth centers needs to be restored

The majority of community centers for children and young people are located in basements and semi-basements of apartment blocks and were not repaired since their opening. Of those 48 centers, only 7 were restored over the past 2 years, Felicia Cires, senior specialist within the Municipal Department for Children’s Rights Protection, noted. 5 centers are being restored now, and 2 of them will be ready to function at the end of this month. The “Satelit” Center on Independentei Street was opened back in 1986 and is daily visited by 30 children coming from numerous families, families with low incomes and disadvantaged categories. It has three rooms for different activities. The biggest problem is the poor condition of the rooms, and their unpleasant smell, Zinaida Gamurari, teacher-organizer, mentioned. The Center has not been repaired since its opening. Excursions to museums, the Zoo, the activities in a nearby internet café and swimming in a pool of the same district spare the children from the Center’s lame condition. Another community center for children and young people works on Muncesti Street. Unlike that from Independentei, this one was repaired this year. The center is very cozy and hosts different aged children. 30% of the expenses were covered by the Municipal Department for Children’s Rights Protection, and the rest – by an Italian NGO. Daily it is visited by 70 children, and the gyms, training and play rooms have enough space. Parents enjoy coming together with their children. Tatiana Melnic, manager of the Center since 1990, said that the number of children visiting it increased once it was repaired. Those 48 youth centers of the capital are visited by over 7,600 children. The employees of the Department for Children’s Rights Protection consider that the number of children visiting the center might increase if all of them will be brought back to their original condition.