History

Tony&Nichita (1)-min

In 1998, while talking to the British writer Tony Hawks, who visited Moldova with the purpose of collecting material for his future book “Playing Tennis with the Moldovans,” we were lamenting the bitter fate of living in a small and poor state, at the crossroads of times. An action from civil society seemed then to be something unattainable.

However, in a short time, a series of non-governmental organizations with various fields of activity emerged. These NGOs actively intervened in solving community problems, provided services in various domains, and got involved in the fate of the most vulnerable layers of society, supporting the oppressed and marginalized, as well as the excluded. This was especially important in cases where governments, which frequently changed, struggled to provide a sufficient minimum to address the challenges.

This is why the idea of creating a small center with a medical and social orientation seemed appropriate to us.

At that time, the writer Tony Hawks and the British charity organization ARRC (now known as ChildAid to Eastern Europe) reached out to lend us a helping hand.

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From the first year of its operation, the Tony Hawks Center managed to gain the trust of over a hundred families with children with special needs who benefited from care.

We are currently in our 20th year of providing free multidisciplinary recovery services to children with chronic illnesses in Chisinau and across the country.

Annually, around 600 children have the chance to improve their health at the Center by participating in recovery programs that employ non-invasive methods and new assistive technologies for children with special needs.

As a result, the Tony Hawks Center became the first non-governmental organization accredited by the state and the first from which the National Health Insurance Company purchases its services to be provided free of charge to children with special needs.

The fruitful work of the Tony Hawks Center has been recognized by local and central public administration authorities, and it has been awarded numerous high honors on multiple occasions.

1998

Tony Hawks's first visit to Moldova

1999

The second meeting with Tony Hawks in Brasov, Romania.

2000

The registration of the non-governmental organization Hippocrates Center.

2001

The opening of the first multifunctional recovery center for chronically ill children from socially vulnerable families near their place of residence, with the support of the writer Tony Hawks and the British charity organization ARRC (now known as ChildAid to Eastern Europe).

2003

Dissemination of physiotherapy methods for children with disabilities - a project supported by the Soros Foundation, through which over 100 medical personnel from the country's districts were sensitized to non-invasive methods of rehabilitating children with motor disabilities.

2004

"Home-based physiotherapy assistance for bedridden children." Project supported by FCUC, USA.

2005

The Government of the Republic of Moldova awards the Tony Hawks Center with an Honorary Diploma for its work in rehabilitating children with special needs, close to their place of residence, on the occasion of its five years of activity.

2006

Accreditation of the Hippocrates Center by the National Council for Health Evaluation and Accreditation of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova. "I Help My Child" - a parental education project implemented with the support of CNAM. "Physiotherapy Facilities in Schools and Kindergartens" - Opening pilot physiotherapy cabinets for children with special needs in educational institutions, with the support of ChildAid to Eastern Europe. These cabinets are still active with the support of CNAM.

2007

The first contract for the provision of recovery services within mandatory health insurance, with the support of the National Health Insurance Company.

2010

The Parliament of the Republic of Moldova decorates the Tony Hawks Center for outstanding results in providing recovery services to children with special needs on the occasion of its ten years of activity.

2010-2011

The fundraising campaign 'Give and Win' for the construction of the new center headquarters.

2011

The International Women's Club Moldova collected and donated funds for the roof of the new center headquarters.

2013

As a result of the transformative philanthropic assistance provided by Tony Hawks and his family in the construction of the new headquarters, the 'Hippocrates Center' changed its name to the 'Private Institution Tony Hawks Center'.

2014

Launch of the new headquarters "Tony Hawks Center" - a modern facility dedicated to multidisciplinary rehabilitation with a capacity of up to 600 children annually. Launch of the first Ludoteca in the Republic of Moldova, dedicated to children with special needs, a project supported by Rotary Club Cosmopolitan and Rotary Club Widnesfield, United Kingdom. For the efforts in establishing a model rehabilitation center for children, the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova awards Mr. Tony Hawks and the center's team with an Honorary Diploma.

2015

Hydrokinetotherapy for children with disabilities. A project co-financed by the East European Foundation and other private donations to the Tony Hawks Center, for the construction of the country's first warm water pool dedicated to children with special needs. For the implementation of renewable energy for this purpose, the Tony Hawks Center was awarded 'The Best Solar Thermal Energy Project of the Year

2019

The 'Don't Cry for Me, Moldova' fundraising campaign, featuring the renowned lyricist Sir Tim Rice and Tony Hawks, for the creation of a multipurpose hall dedicated to adolescents and young people with special needs.

2019

The launch of the project 'Improving the Quality of Life for Children with Special Needs by Facilitating Access to Community Occupational Therapy Services in the Republic of Moldova,' supported by Rotary Global Grant and Child Aid to Eastern Europe.

2019

"Better Information for Better Inclusion of People with Special Needs." This project, supported by the U.S. Embassy, aims to promote evidence-based knowledge in the field of rehabilitation for children and young people with special needs. To achieve this goal, various literary resources, including electronic ones, modern online information access equipment equipped with assistive technologies for children and young people with special needs, were procured.