Why do visually impaired people need a Hungarian educational institution? Because there is none and our children need it!

Why do we need a rehabilitation center for visually impaired adults? Because there is none and they need it!

The Foundation for the Visually Impaired Hungarians in Transylvania works for Hungarian-speaking visually impaired people living in Romania. We are working on the establishment of a Hungarian-language residential educational institution and an elementary rehabilitation center. You can now contribute to realise this noble cause.

A milestone achieved in the case of the blind and partially sighted Hungarians in Transylvania!

“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work”. 2Cor. 9/8

With the support of the Hungarian Government and the Transylvanian Reformed Diocese as owner, several high-value properties were purchased, which will be used by the Foundation for the Visually Impaired Hungarians in Transylvania as an operator and professional coordinator.

After the official press launch on 18 November 2021, we started working on the development concept, involving a building energy specialist, architect and contractor. The costs for the conversion of the buildings are realistic, and the amounts of other expected expenditure are well thought out and justifiable. An important aspect of our concept was to carry out only the necessary renovations and investments in order to start special Hungarian-language education for children in the buildings as soon as possible. The improvements and investments listed below are therefore indispensable for the legal and safe operation of the special education centre, on the one hand, and for rationalising operating costs, on the other.

In the first phase, we plan to renovate and convert building B1. This building will house visually impaired children, guest teachers and professionals, as required. Previously, we had planned to build classrooms in the same building, but the relevant legislation and the building’s characteristics do not allow this. Therefore, a purpose-built building and a special sports hall will be built on the available site. The conceptual design of the buildings has been completed, the primary considerations in the design process had safety, usability and cost-effectiveness.

Improvements necessary for the operation of the building, which can accommodate up to 60 people and provide service facilities:

• energy modernisation that is economically viable and pays for itself in the short term by using green energy (solar panels, heat pumps, replacement of the electrical grid, external insulation of the building, replacement of radiators). The support for the green-energy investment was offered by an enterprise from Odorheiu Secuiesc, thank you for this!
• safety modifications and investments: in the case of building B1, making the staircase safe, making it barrier-free, installing an elevator, fire safety modifications, making the terraces of the building safe and installing a fence where necessary.
• accessibility of the main building and courtyard: guide rails, audible signs, large lettering and lettering in Braille.
• creation of outdoor community and play areas in the courtyard, landscaping and green areas. The works mentioned above will cost in excess of €800,000.

As already mentioned, a new school building will be built to serve the education of blind and partially sighted children. And a multi-purpose sports hall will also be made available for children, as visually impaired children need exercise and training even more than their sighted counterparts. The special school will take the name of the teacher Lajos Katona, who sadly passed away recently. The school will be a two-storey building with a net built-up area of 1 710 m2, two staircases (compulsory for fire safety reasons), a barrier-free lift, 8 flexible classrooms, bathrooms per level, corridors/shafts, administration, mechanical and operational spaces, a 70-seat event hall, a medical room, a teachers’ room and offices.

The gym has a net surface area of 284 m2, with a corridor, accessible student changing rooms, a teachers’ changing room, a medical room, storage rooms and a sports hall, with a total surface area of 497 m2. The construction and equipping of a gym to serve visually impaired children, the creation of special therapeutic spaces for developmental therapy, the construction of sports fields (rattle ball field, rattle football field), special sports flooring are all cost-increasing items. The cost of the design, construction and authorisation of these two buildings – the school and the gym – is estimated by the designers and contractors at €3,000,000.

Other planned expenditure not related to property development:

• purchase of assistive devices: Braille displays and typewriters, Braille printers, electronic magnifiers, tactile displays and makers, multifunction printers, laptops, tablets: €150,000.
• furnishing and equipment for residential accommodation: 40 single beds, bed linen, 60 folding desks and chairs, classroom furniture, teaching aids: €60,000.
• industrialeswashing and drying machin, free barrier washing machines for the disabled, a high-capacity gas cooker: €16,000.
• 2 minibuses for the transport of goods and passengers, which can also be used as school buses: € 80.000.
• operating costs, staff payments, taxes and duties for 1 year: €120,000.

The total investment, so the building renovation, safety modifications, accessibility, new buildings for teaching and operational costs, is estimated at €4 226 000. In most cases, these investments, teaching equipment, furniture, accessibility and safety modifications are statutory obligations, which are largely a prerequisite for obtaining an official operating licence. They are therefore absolutely necessary for the start-up of the special residential school in Hungarian and the elementary adult rehabilitation centre.

With thanksgiving in our souls, we ask God’s blessing on our supporters, partners and helpers so far. The work and fundraising continues, as we still need to carry out a number of renovations, furnishings, accessibility improvements, new buildings and more high-value educational equipment to bring the buildings into use and occupancy.

You can still give your generous support on our accessible website

We ask you to support us and encourage your relatives, friends and acquaintances to do so, if they consider our project important. IT’S GOOD TO BE GOOD!

Thank you for your generous donations!

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