Hope And Nurture Nurture And Hope
Delivering practical social work on a day to day basis
Providing social work & child development training
Modelling the Christian Social Work approach
Providing programmes to enhance the living situation of children
A Short Story...
Founded by Alice and Ken Winter from New Zealand in November 2010, HANNAH is a Christian organisation that works to bring hope and nurture to children and families who struggle to provide loving and safe care for their children. HANNAH's focus is on preventing abandonment of children and supporting the reintegration of children into their families from institutional care.
This work is done through family home visits, social work support, activity and educational programmes for children and by providing social work related training in the community.
The day to day work is carried out in Târgu Mures, Romania, by local social workers, teachers and volunteers.
What's In A Name?
HANNAH is an acronym for "Hope And Nurture Nurture And Hope".
In the Holy Bible, Hannah was known for her faith that God would do as he promised. “So now I give him back to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:28.
HANNAH is a response to a vision to be God’s hands and feet to children in the world who do not have a loving, caring family, or community around them. Like Hannah, the promise took time to come to fruition and like Hannah, we dedicate this organisation back to God to lead us wherever he wants us to go.
The Founders - Alice & Ken Winter
“Our first experience of Romania was mid 1999-2000 when we volunteered for a year in an orphanage in South Romania. Romania’s abandoned children were the legacy of the Ceauçescu Regime from 1965 to 1989 that insisted that families have at least 5 children in order to create a workforce to run the economy. The economy failed. Families had children they could not possibly afford to bring up and were abandoned to State orphanages.
While orphanages as such have since been closed down we realised that there were still many families who struggle to provide adequate care for their children and have limited access to social work resources to find solutions for their situations.
Through frequent subsequent visits, it became our desire and that of our support groups in Romania and NZ to sponsor a social worker to work in the area of abandonment prevention.” HANNAH has grown out of this vision.
Meet The Team
Alice Winter
Founder / Director
Alice holds teaching qualifications in Primary and Early Childhood Education, and also has had many years of social work experience, especially in the area of Foster care.
“My dream is for every child have an enduring loving relationship with at least one, but preferably more, adult(s). A person who will walk alongside, encourage, advocate, love and pray for them no matter what circumstances they might be in.”
Ken Winter
Founding Trustee
Ken is an artist, teacher and support worker for a Supported Independent Living Service. He has tutored students in art, in tertiary and supported learning settings.
“I derive huge satisfaction from being involved in creative activities with groups of children. I enjoy the special moments when children discover they can express what is in their hearts in a safe, ‘belonging’ environment.”
Richard Cheeseman
Chairperson
Sue, my wife, and I moved to the area 5 years ago to run a small lifestyle farm and AirBnB, while I provide IT and business advice to local business owners. We have 3 adult children, in Tokyo, Auckland and the youngest works here with us on the farm. We have been heavily involved over the years in fostering and providing respite care for children with special needs, alongside Open Home Foundation, and love to see families succeed together. Working with HANNAH has given us the opportunity to extend that to Romania, and to continue to see the love of God impact on families in need.
Amy Hill
Board Member/Prayer Coordinator
I am proud to be a board member of and prayer co-ordinator for HANNAH-Hope and Nurture. Prayer is conversation with God, he hears our thanks and petitions and we respond to his heart for our lives, HANNAH and the world. HANNAH was birthed through prayer and it will only make a difference in the lives of children as we keep connected with God’s heart for this mission.
I have had a long association with Open Home Foundation NZ and Alice and Ken Winter.
I am married to Ray, and have 3 adult children and 6 grandchildren. I am involved in various community organisations and my church, Elim Christian Centre.
Geoff Falloon
Board Member / Treasurer
“I am a qualified accountant with a practicing certificate from Chartered Accountants of Australia and NZ. As a life-long friend of Alice I am delighted to be part of what HANNAH is achieving in the lives of these Romanian children. I am married to Carol and we have a grownup son Michael. We live at The Glen, Nelson.”
Katalin Gyűjtő
Social Worker
Holding a masters degree in Mental Health Kati has over ten years experience in the field. Kati and her husband Zsolt moved to Târgu Mureş especially for this job in 2012.
“Working with these children, I realise how big God’s grace is towards us. When my ability reaches it’s limits God creates opportunities beyond my imagination. Seeing so many vulnerable children makes me want to love them, give them hope and a big, big, hug. This is only possible with God’s blessing and the amazing support group behind us.”
Delia Blaga
Volunteer - Romania
By profession Delia is a Mathematics teacher. She has taught for 2 years in a public school, and over the last 15 years has worked for two NGOs.
“I like helping children to discover their capacity to understand mathematics. I also like supporting them to discover their own ways to approach the problems and find the solutions. My aim is to see the children I work with being encouraged and flourishing.”
Our Partners
Open Home Foundation International
“Every child in the world will belong to a family and community where they are safe and loved, receive good health care and education, and know that God loves them.”
Open Home Foundation International and HANNAH - Hope And Nurture Trust NZ have formed a partnership which has as its goal the continuing empowerment of HANNAH - Hope And Nurture through a sharing of training materials, donor base, guidance and support, prayer and promotion
HANNAH shares the OHFI philosophy and has a relationship with OHFI, but has its own identity as an Incorporated Charitable Trust.
It has also been a real blessing to have the support of OHF (NZ) who have made all their training materials and resources available to HANNAH to use as appropriate. HANNAH has also been welcomed to join OHF training in NZ.
Christian Endeavour Associatia Pro Christo et Ecclesia Krisztusert es Egyhazaert
CE (Christian Endeavour) Romania and HANNAH - Hope And Nurture (NZ) share a common vision of supporting and empowering impoverished, vulnerable families so that they are able to look after all their children in a way that ensures the children are safe and loved and that they belong to and are an integral part of their family and community.
The purpose of a partnership between CE and HANNAH - Hope And Nurture (NZ) is to enable HANNAH to provide a practical service to children and families in the region.