The year 2025 has been rewarding for The Orphaned Starfish Foundation. We’ve had the opportunity to visit different programs in Latin America and check their progress and the desire that they have for learning and developing new skills. On March 25, a new connection was made in Romania. This is the first Jewish and first European Technology Center that serves refugees from Odessa, Ukraine. Andy alongside Board Member Roberto Felipe had the opportunity to inaugurate this new program and experience the love and affection of the people of Odessa. The stories of their harrowing journey from Odessa to Bucharest, the re-development of their village of over 1,000, and how they are currently operating the orphanage and schools were overwhelmingly beautiful and inspirational.

With this new partnership, OSF is looking to provide the children with the necessary tools that they need to start developing technological skills that can help them be more creative in the digital market. This new program in Romania shows how far we have come and the hopes to keep growing to be able to reach those that need us most. OSF stands by the idea that everyone deserves a chance in life to learn and succeed no matter the conditions that they have grown up in.

Thank you to all the supporters that made this partnership possible and that are always willing to collaborate with our cause. This is just the beginning of the amazing things we are aiming to achieve.

Andy Stein

1. What inspired you to open a program in Romania?

I had been approached by a friend who worked with the orphanage in Odessa, Ukraine and we were working on developing a computer center there. I had made plans to visit and establish the connection and then had those plans canceled by the start of the War. I maintained contact with them as they became refugees and eventually landed in Bucharest, Romania and committed OSF to building their computer center there. This led to my visit.

2. What are the goals for this program with OSF?

The goals are the same as all OSF Programs, to help prepare these incredible children for entrance to University and/or employment through the learning of technology skills.

3. Who are the primary beneficiaries of this program?

The primary beneficiaries are the students of Tikva now residing in Romania but eventually for all the students when they return to Odessa.

4. Does the program have specific needs that OSF will cover?

We have provided all the hardware, software, wiring and everything needed for the computer center.

5. How was it working with Roberto Felipe?

Roberto Felipe continues to be one of most active OSF Board Members, and a close friend. The center is partially dedicated to his father (along with a dedication to William Achenbaum from the Achenbaum family and the Men of MOCA). He continues to share the vision of improving the lives of vulnerable children throughout the world. We are now working together on developing the first professional basketball court in our program in the Maasai Mara in Kenya.

6. Anything that stands out from this experience

The children here show such incredible resilience and dedication to education and their future given the ordeal they have had to endure as they left their home in Odessa to become refugees in Romania. We are so hopeful that this partnership with OSF will continue to help them heal, strive and excel with their futures.

Roberto Felipe

1. How did you first get involved with this project?

Andy sent the board an email about this initiative prior to the gala in October. Reading the email about this and learning more about these children, I felt the need to support.

2. What was your favorite part of this process?

Just building bridges, focusing on being of service to children, that goes for all children.

3. What are you most excited to see happen in the lives of the children?

Helping them see that people around the world care about them and want to help them reach their goals.

4. Why is access to technology so important to you?

Technology has the opportunity to change the lives of these children, OSF has the opportunity to be a conduit for development and to give these children the tools they need to start their business or continue their education.

5. Would you like to share a message to others so they can somehow get involved with OSF and help make a difference?

No level of support is too small – involve yourself in ways that feel authentic to you, whether that's a fundraiser associated with a half-marathon or helping support at one of our committees. There are a lot of at-risk children around the world. Take the opportunity to be a part of the change we need in this world.

To learn more about the work we do at the Orphaned Starfish Foundation, visit our website at www.osf.org. To donate visit, www.osf.org/donate.