"This is all we have"

Adrian rises each day at 3 am for work, which involves collecting garbage and then sorting it at the local dump. He returns home to a hungry family living in a cramped single room, where due to the conditions, his eldest son, Eduardo, struggles to breathe. When temperatures plummet, the family freeze in winter, even though Adrian has tried to insulate the home with cardboard and materials, he finds at the dumpsite. Still, despite his efforts, the cold air finds its way through every crack.

But when spring arrives, hope is renewed, and optimism and direction fill Adrian and his family's hearts.

The local church in Victoria has developed a self-sufficiency project to help families like Adrian's.

The greenhouse project aims to give families a place to plant, learn and harvest. By harvest time, not only will Adrian and his family have learnt how to cultivate crops, but they will have supplies for the winter months. In addition, what they produce will also feed disadvantaged children at the After School project, which the church also runs.

It is a beautiful thing too that what we are doing will help other local children in need

"We have always wanted a garden", Adrian's partner Ana Maria says. "With every seed we plant, we have more hope. It is a beautiful thing too that what we are doing will help other local children in need."

"Our main goal is to give families a chance to defeat their poverty," Pastor Timotea Stinea says. "We empower them with a greenhouse, water and an irrigation system; all they need is the will to work and learn. If they can do that, they will reap the benefits from this project."

During spring, Adrian will work hard, putting all his strength into digging and raking the land. It also helps distract him from the grief over the loss of his brother.

"Even when I have a break from work, I feel excited to go back to the greenhouse," he says.

Many families in Eastern Europe have the will to work, but do not have the tools or knowledge to develop the rich land. You can empower them to journey towards a sustainable future by supporting a greenhouse project or sponsoring a family in need.