Holzindustrie Schweighofer supports the recovery of children with disabilities

• The company donated timber and sawdust to the Recovery and Recreation through Horse Riding Association in Leorinț
• The coniferous timber offered by the company will be used for the construction of a pavilion for the activities that take place at the horse riding centre
• The project is a continuation of the company’s actions to support the communities where it activates

Last week, Holzindustrie Schweighofer donated timber for the construction of a wooden pavilion for activities involving children which are organized by the Recovery and Recreation though Horse Riding Association in Leorinț, Alba county.

At the same time, the company donated a truck-full of sawdust, which will be used for the horses’ bedding.

The Recovery and Recreation though Horse Riding Association in Leorinț provides for the care, education, recovery and rehabilitation of special-needs children, and not only. An average of 70 children attend the activities organised by the Association on a weekly basis, and the disabilities they suffer from include autism, depression, behavioural, visual, learning or emotional disorders, as well as Down’s Syndrome, hemiparesis, orthopaedic or neurological disorders and muscular dystrophy.

“Our role, as therapists, is to offer the children moments of happiness,” says Csilla Balogh, a therapist and the manager of the Association. “Regardless of their health status, they feel the love, even if they cannot communicate or even if they have a restricted vocabulary. There were children who were able to pronounce their first words on a horse, to stretch a spastic hand or to simply use it, these are common things for a healthy child, but for others they are the result of perseverance, work, dedication and motivation.”

A team comprising four specialists – therapists, speech therapists and phycologists – works with seven horses in conducting horse therapy and counselling in optimal conditions. “Results come from teamwork – child, parent, horse and therapist,” adds Csilla Balogh. “In order for us to be able to make the children happy, we need minimal conditions, that’s why the donation e received are of real help for the construction of the pavilion, but also for the comfort and hygiene of the horses, respectively the sawdust for their bedding.”

The administrative mill manager of Holzindustrie Schweighofer Sebeș, Ionuț Batîr, believes that “the children’s right to enjoy the best possible health, to receive medical care, therapy and recovery, is a fundamental right. The way we chose to respect is defines us as a people and gives us a measure for responsibility as an organisation. We are glad to be able to help the Association’s efforts to make these children smile and develop harmoniously, to be able to grow up as independent individuals who are

The Recovery and Recreation though Horse Riding Association in Leorinț aims to develop the functional, affective-emotional and social abilities of special-needs children, to achieve an independent life and autonomy of movement, as well as integrating them socially - partially or completely -in the community.

Holzindustrie Schweighofer supports social, education and environmental projects in the regions where it runs its activities. The Sebeș sawmill has predominantly supported children in vulnerable situations, though partnerships with institutions such as the Maternity at the Sebeș Municipal Hospital or the Alba Iulia-based Maria Beatrice Centre. Up to this point, the company’s investments in corporate social responsibility projects stand at more than 6.3 million Euro at a national level.

 

*The photographs depicting children were kindly provided by the Recovery and Recreation though Horse Riding Association in Leorinț.