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Romania: Mama cleans in the West

May 13, 2013

More and more children in Romania are growing up without parents. They're cared for by other relatives, in homes or simply live on the street.

https://p.dw.com/p/18X3i
Das Bild wurde von DW-Mitarbeiter Cristian Stefanescu in Stejaris/ Rumänien aufgenommen und kann von der DW uneingeschränkt verwendet werden. Zulieferer: Dana Alexandra Scherle Zu sehen sind Kinder auf dem Weg zur Schule im Dorf Stejaris.
Image: DW

Children's welfare organization UNICEF estimates that some 350-thousand of these "orphans" have parents working in Western Europe. Most of these parents work -- legally or illegally -- as nannies, cleaning ladies or farm labourers. For years seasonal workers, in particular, have been travelling to Western European countries like Germany, Italy and Spain where cheap labour is in demand. Some don't ever return to their children in Romania.

Der rumänische Saisonarbeiter Ioan Iacobin, der mit seiner Familie auf dem Hof von Biobauer Palm arbeitet. Bild: Alexandra Scherle, 27.05.2011 in Bornheim bei Bonn
Image: DW