Couple in Romania help vulnerable teens after childhood in care
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Cătălina Fuică and her husband, Vlad, in Romania, volunteer to tutor teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those in the state care system.
Cătălina spent time in a children’s home starting in the seventh grade, and now, at 37, she and Vlad prepare students for national exams. Though neither are teachers, the couple dedicate their Sundays to providing math and Romanian language tutoring through the association Ajungem Mari.
The couple discovered many students needed encouragement and trustworthy adults, not just academic help. In September 2026, Ajungem Mari launched a campaign to recruit 1,000 volunteers to work with over 3,500 children and young people in Bucharest and 29 other counties. Volunteers help students with schoolwork, exam preparation, and offer workshops and outings. Vlad saw a social media post about volunteering with Ajungem Mari in the autumn of 2024 and felt a desire to contribute to his community.
He works as a video producer and director of photography. Cătălina, who studies business management and assists Vlad with his company, also joined, drawing on her enjoyment of Romanian language and grammar from high school. Both completed training before being assigned students, and they had to refresh their own knowledge of the subjects to teach effectively.
