Opening the way to a high-schooler's next steps

Some children dream of becoming heroes, but Constantin had to become one out of necessity. Life didn’t ease him into responsibility; it placed it on his shoulders early. At just 15 years old, he is both a student and the pillar of his family, learning to carry grief and responsibility at the same time.

Constantin was only six months old when his father walked away. Years later, the man who stepped in to raise him became his closest thing to a father. But just two months ago, that stability was suddenly taken from him too, when he died of a heart attack at only 44. In an instant, Constantin lost not only a father figure, but the sense of safety he brought to the family.

Now more than ever, his family struggles to stay afloat. At home, there is almost no financial stability. His mother is unemployed, and both father figures in his life were without work. The family survives on social assistance and children’s allowances, barely enough to cover basic needs.

Inside their home, the poverty is clear to see. Seven people share two small rooms: his mother, five children, and a newborn grandson. The water is unreliable, often shut off, so they carry it in buckets from a street well. Heat comes from an old wood-burning stove that also serves as their only way to cook. There is no indoor bathroom, only an outside toilet that’s cold and unsafe. Every day requires effort just to meet the most basic needs.

The village around Constantin offers little relief. It is quiet and aging, with no playgrounds, no youth centres, no spaces where children can simply be children. Most grow up with very few opportunities to explore, dream, or just breathe outside of responsibility.

Constantin plays soccer with his sisters at home

“I enjoy playing football with my friends and helping with household chores, especially outdoor tasks like chopping wood and taking care of the animals. We keep pigs,” Constantin said.

In a place with so few opportunities, the school and the after school program run by the Baptist church in the village, in partnership with Mission Without Borders, become lifelines. They are more than educational spaces. They are places where children are seen, supported, and given the stability they need.

The after school program is especially important for Constantin. It is where he can sit with others, work through his homework, ask questions, and slowly begin to believe he can keep up. Instead of struggling alone, he has people to support him.

He was just seven years old when he joined the Mission’s child sponsorship program. Since then, through after school support, summer camps, and Christian outreach activities, he has been given opportunities that would otherwise have been completely out of reach.

Now, eight years later, he is preparing for the next step – high school in a town 14 km away.

Even now, he speaks about the future with excitement.

“I’m not very nervous about changing schools. It actually feels interesting. I like learning practical things, so I see this as an opportunity.

“I’ve visited other cities before, and I liked the atmosphere and energy. I think this will help me grow,” he added.

But behind that hope is a daily struggle that is easy to underestimate. School is becoming harder, especially in the eighth grade.

“I sometimes find it difficult to keep up, especially with Romanian language and literature. There are only ten students left in my class now. Some have dropped out over time. I’m doing my best to get the grades I need for high school.”

At home, there is no one who can help him study. His mother never had the chance to go to school herself. That makes the after school programme not just helpful, but essential. It is where he gets the support he can’t find elsewhere, where homework becomes possible instead of overwhelming, and where he’s reminded that he’s not alone in his learning.

“As a mother, I’ve always tried to teach him that education is important,” his mother said. “Without schooling, it’s very hard to build a future. That’s why I encourage him to stay in school. Education is the only way forward for him.”

Looking ahead, Mission Without Borders is committed to walking this journey with Constantin – not only through after school support, but through a high school scholarship, and potentially further education beyond that. For Constantin, this continuity could be the difference between opportunity and limitation.

Constantin and his mother share stories in their modest home.

“I truly believed that he deserves to be helped, supported, and guided toward something better. He is a good kid, with lots of potential. I always thank God that he is smart and a well-behaved boy,” his grandmother said. “I keep praying and reminding him to make the most of the opportunities he has and to rise above the limitations that shaped the generations in our family before him.”

For children like Constantin, education is never guaranteed, it’s fragile. One crisis, one expense, one moment of pressure can be enough to end it. Many children in similar situations are forced to leave school early, not because they lack ability, but because survival comes first.

Constantin’s friends at the Mission believe in him, too.

Tatiana, the Mission’s scholarship coordinator, said, “Poverty can make young people vulnerable to discouragement and discrimination.

“The scholarship support we offer is not merely about covering financial expenses. It’s also a reaffirmation of their worth, a signal that someone believes in their potential."

“For every student, the journey begins with courage, but continues only when someone believes in them. For many, a scholarship is the only reason a student has the courage to keep going.”

And the impact goes far beyond the classroom.

Sponsors, she adds, are not distant supporters. They become part of each story, following the journey of a young person whose life is changing because someone chose to believe in them.

“Every contribution changes a life,” she said. “It turns vulnerability into opportunity, and fear into hope.”

As Cosmin, Mission coordinator in the area, said, “Constantin is a remarkable boy. We stood by his family during one of their hardest moments when they lost his father figure.

My hope is that his life will not be defined by loss, but by the opportunities he is now beginning to receive.”

You can help open the way fro more students working to build a better future for themselves through education with a gift supporting scholarships.