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One
of the Smiles Foundation’s important objectives is to encourage more
self-sufficiency in Romania. This not only creates initiative and
opportunity for the Romanians, but also creates employment and less
dependency on financial support from the Charity, allowing funds to be
diverted to the many projects awaiting and needing support. 
Georgi
Opreanu, Director of the Gepiu project, has great plans and vision
for the community in Gepiu. The project is already providing excellent
educational support to 30 youngsters at the Children’s Centre each day.
The Centre was opened in September 2006 following 15 months of
construction at a cost of £97,274 / $194,548.
The Community Centre
also provides a
place for the village young people to enjoy fellowship and support. They
enjoy a hygiene programme at the Centre with showers and laundry
facilities once a week. The elderly also benefit from meals, both at the
centre and delivered to their homes regularly. 
Tomatoes
and Pepper plants are already in the Tunnel. Seeds are sown for lettuce,
radish, onion, peas, carrots, beans, cabbage and much more. If
successful, Gepiu’s Horticultural project will be supplying vegetable
needs to its own Day Centre in addition to the Mission Centre and
Children’s Centre at Cihei plus the Tileagd School and Nursery along
with the Emergency Housing Unit in Mirlou.
If successful, Gepiu
will supply an increasing share of fresh vegetables needed by Smiles,
allowing valuable funds to return to Gepiu so as to extend its Farm and
Horticultural work which will also provide employment opportunities for
locals in the future.