Afilipoaie Family Update

Everything that has happened to the two gymnasts from Iasi, Carmen and Monica Afilipoaie, is already well known in Romania, and thanks to the Internet, the whole world knows about it. The local edition of the Ziua newspaper, Ziua de Iasi, has been very involved in publicizing the story of the two competitive rhythmic gymnasts, whose mother recently committed suicide by throwing herself in front of a train, because she could not deal with every day poverty. The Afilipoaie family is faced with debts of over 75 million lei (about $2,500) in unpaid rent and bills and they have no way of providing a decent living for themselves. Up until now, very few people have helped the two gymnasts from CSS Corrado.

The local Sports and Youth Department, especially its director Grigore Ursanu, was kind enough to pay half the rent owed by the family for their apartment in Pacurari. Carmen Afilipoaie took the 3 million lei to DAFIS, the company that handles apartment rent payments. Two sports photographers from the US, who read the story online and said they are not rich from the very beginning, donated $ 100 to the Afilipoaie bank account. The president of the Fujiyama karate club, Constantin Caliman, gave the two gymnasts two [karate] national team warm up sweats. Vasile Arhire, a reporter at TVR Iasi, who is the president of a foundation set up to help athletes, offered to lend a helping hand, both Carmen and Monica receiving an unspecified amount of money during the gala honoring the best athletes in Iasi. After their story was shown on local TV news, Carmen Afilipoaie said a specialized firm offered to bring and install the necessary water meters for the apartment.

The two gymnasts opened a bank account at BancPost, where anyone can donate money to help the family. The account numbers are 25110111324100 (for donations in lei) and 4661014 (for foreign currency donations, including $). Unfortunately, the family’s situation is still very bad, since their bank account is empty. Anghel Saligny High School, where the two girls study and practice gymnastics, is yet to do anything to help their family. Although he was informed of the Afilipoaie gymnasts’ case, RGF president Nicolae Vieru, who already promised to help by donating money, has not yet contacted the Afilipoaie family.

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