Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

'Big-Hearted Grannies' Help Rumanian Orphans

Aired July 28, 2002 - 08:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: After adopting their daughter from a Rumanian orphanage in 1991, a couple from Texas decided they had to do something for thousands of orphans left behind. And that is where the big-hearted grannies come in. CNN's Rhonda Grayson has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RHONDA GRAYSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is Natalie, in her new home country, after being adopted by Fred and Carolyn White. The 21-month-old was one of the lucky ones to be adopted into this Abilene, Texas family. But the wife couldn't stop thinking there were thousands of orphans left behind in Romania, without the love and attention they desperately needed.

From the outside, the government-run orphanage where Natalie grew up appears to be right out of the communist area, but a look inside can yield a different story. Children swinging and being rocked by mothering grandmas. All part of the big-hearted grannies program created by the Whites and the church to help nurture the children.

PETRU SOLCA: These grannies, who are pensioners, come here every day for four hours and stay with the children, they play with them, they speak to them. There is a close relationship. And the progress with these children is obvious.

GRAYSON (on camera): These children are orphans, growing up without a mother or father. However, with programs like bunechi nemosh (ph), which means big-hearted grandmas, it's proving that a little love goes a long way.

(voice-over): The love the kids receive seem to be contagious. Just ask Negide. In addition to the kids here, she has six grandchildren of her own.

NEGIDE GEMIL, "BIG-HEARTED GRANNY": Both the kids and grannies cry when they have to say goodbye.

GRAYSON: The grannies are paid the equivalent of $1.25 a day and they are given child care training.

SOLCA: Training our grannies with the psychologists that we have and some people who are coming from abroad.

GRAYSON: Twenty-three big-hearted grannies make up this (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And the results have been impressive.

REV. MARY FERRIS, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, USA: Now, almost none of the children flunk the first grade. The children in orphanages, they're in the first grade, had grannies when they were little. And that's after five years. So we are beginning to see the fruits of our labor.

GRAYSON: Even after some of the children have been adopted by American families, they still remember an important Rumanian word, the one for grandma.

GEMIL: Bunechi (ph), bunechi (ph), bunechi (ph).

GRAYSON: Big-hearted grandmas, producing big-hearted results.

Rhonda Grayson, CNN, Romania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com