The BufKids Day Center, part of the Hercules Association, is a space dedicated to vulnerable children in the town of Buftea. It was created to provide educational, emotional, and social support to those from families facing financial and social difficulties. Inspired by the model of the Hercules Day Center in Costești, BufKids operates as an after-school program, serving approximately 50 children between the ages of 6 and 14. Children at the BufKids Day Center visit before or after school to receive homework help, participate in educational and personal development activities, and gain access to school resources and recreation within a safe, friendly, and inclusive environment. The benefits include skill development, a lower risk of school dropout, increased self-esteem, and social integration.
About the BufKids Day Center
The center's primary mission is to prevent school dropout and increase the motivation for learning, offering children real opportunities for development and long-term success. Beyond educational support, BufKids provides material and social assistance tailored to each family's needs: at least one warm meal per day, clothing, hygiene products, psychological counseling, and socialization opportunities. Through the contributions of partners and sponsors, our educational curriculum is enriched with reading clubs, themed workshops, recreational activities, and programs for digital and linguistic skill development. In this way, the center does not only support academic performance but also creates an environment where children can build self-confidence and the motivation to overcome their challenges and difficult social contexts.
The First and Only Day Center in Buciumeni, Buftea
Our Story
The BufKids Center – A Modern and Welcoming Space
BufKids is the realization of a long-held dream of the Hercules Association: creating a replica of the Hercules Day Center in an underprivileged community closer to Bucharest. This project was made possible through the support of Habitat for Humanity Romania, which built our facility from the ground up, and the Buftea Town Hall, which provided the land. The building was constructed between 2018 and 2019, and in 2024, a second wing was inaugurated to house the center's canteen.
The official inauguration of the BufKids Center was scheduled for March 19, 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we began our activities quietly, without ceremonies or public events. Despite these challenges, we remained active in the community, providing support even remotely. With the help of our team and our funders, United Way Romania and Raiffeisen Bank Romania, we have contributed to the educational development of vulnerable children in Buftea in a sustainable and resilient manner.
Initially, educational activities were conducted online. Our team - originally consisting of a project coordinator, an educational instructor, a social worker, and a psychologist - maintained constant contact with children and parents, providing educational support as resources allowed. One of the main challenges was the lack of devices for online schooling, a problem solved with the help of the Bucharest Community Foundation, alongside the distribution of food, hygiene products, and masks for the children and their families.
Every day, 50 children aged 6 to 14 attend BufKids in an after-school or pre-school format. The younger children are students at School No. 4, located directly across from the center, and School No. 3 in the neighboring Flămânzeni district. The children who come to the Buftea day center share at least two things: the difficult socio-economic situation of their families and a strong desire to learn so they can eventually overcome the poverty inherited from generation to generation.
A Beautiful and Friendly Atmosphere for Children
The Buftea Community
Although Buftea is a relatively prosperous town located near the capital, the Buciumeni and Flămânzeni neighborhoods are highly vulnerable areas. Here, the majority of families - over 300 - rely primarily on social benefits and child allowances. Most of the at-risk children, many of whom belong to the Roma community, come from broken homes, single-parent families, or very large households. They often live in precarious conditions, with several families sharing the same house or entire families living in a single room.
These children lack a proper space for learning, and their interest in school is often low. In many cases, they adopt a family model where education is not perceived as a real chance for a better future. Within the community, with the exception of the BufKids Day Center, there are no other day centers, children's canteens, or "after-school" programs, which severely limits their access to much-needed educational and social support.
Building the Future Through Education
Beneficiaries
Children
At BufKids, 50 children aged 6 to 14 from Buciumeni, Buftea, participate in our after-school and pre-school programs. The children attend the BufKids Center daily, and groups are updated annually.
Teachers
Training and counseling for teachers involved in the project and - resource permitting - for local school teachers, to prevent any form of abuse or discrimination in formal education.
Parents and Volunteers
Parental counseling and skill development, as well as providing basic social assistance services - such as support in obtaining identity documents or birth certificates.
We Believe in Every Child's Potential
Activities
Canteen
Providing daily meals at the center’s canteen
After-school
Homework support and strengthening academic knowledge
Activities
Activities essential for educational development
Development
Literacy (reading and writing), foreign languages, and digital skills
Recreation
Essential for children's emotional well-being and development
Workshops
Stimulating creativity and building self-confidence
School Supplies
Educational materials, books, and support for school activities
Civic Education
Shaping responsible behavior and social values
Raising the Educational Standards for Vulnerable Children
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