" With 18 deaths per 1,000 babies born alive, Romania has the 3rd highest infant mortality rate in Europe after Albania (37) and Ukraine (21) . rural areas are the most affected" [3]

Mother and Child Institute, Bucharest April 2004

Significantly, over two thirds of the paupers live in rural areas, where the poverty risk is 2.3 times higher than in urban areas. Geographically speaking, 25% of Romania's paupers live in the north eastern province of Moldova, where the poverty risk is 43%. Generally speaking 20% of the paupers are farmers, while another 20% are pensioners.

The most affected individuals are usually children or aged 15 - 24 (40%), followed by farmers (20%), retired personnel (20%), employees (10%) and unemployed (9%).

An astonishing 44% of Romanians are now reportedly living in poverty

Romania continues to suffer badly after a legacy of 40 years of severe communism. Civil society and social services have had to be reconstructed from scratch.

Information gathered from http://www.relieffundforromania.co.uk