After just one month at Blythswood’s Daniel Centre, on the outskirts of Cluj, Romania, Catalin is well on his way to reaching his first target – feeling safe. 

“When he arrived, he was very scared,” says social worker Lujza Fechita.  “He couldn’t even speak for himself.  His sister was speaking for him.”

Catalin’s fearful frame of mind resulted from his experience of modern-day slavery, a nightmare from which the 23-year-old has only recently escaped.  For a whole year, he was held captive at a rural location in neighbouring Mures County where he was required to care for livestock and carry out housework, and where he was forced to participate in stealing. 

His abuse ended only with his third attempt to escape.  Initially housed at a centre run by the social work department, he was eventually referred by the police in Targu Mures to Blythswood’s personal development programme which provides essential life-skills training for young people who have missed out on the support usually provided by parents. 

Personal hygiene, learning to cook and to budget, and the importance of work are all on the curriculum at the Daniel Centre.  By day two, Catalin had already got a job in a shop, and has now started work as a security man. 

“Because Catalin feels safe at the Daniel Centre he is able to open up about himself and his problems,” says Lujza.  “The other young men here have helped him reach this point. 

“His next target is anger management.  He can be like a volcano but he is learning to recognise his emotions and to deal with them.

“His third target is to save some money for the future as he wants to be able to live independently of his twin sister who has been a great support to him.”

Catalin still faces the ordeal of giving testimony in court but now he does so from a much stronger position, reassured of his own value as a human being and with the emotional support of the community at the Daniel Centre.