When we created the Happiness Map, our goal was never to chase numbers or build a project that looked good on paper. We wanted to show up where people had been left waiting. And to return not just once, but again and again with something that lasts.

That’s how we found Furculești.

A small village in one of Romania’s poorest counties, Furculești is home to a residential center for more than 60 elderly residents. The building once served as a hospital. Now, it shelters people who have no one left; no family to visit, no real home beyond these walls.

When we arrived, what struck us wasn’t the need. It was the effort.

Inside, the rooms had already been renovated. With very limited resources, the staff had managed to bring warmth back into a space that could have easily collapsed into neglect. Bathrooms were functional. Beds were clean. People were fed, washed, and spoken to with care. There was no noise. No chaos. Only a slow rhythm of people trying, every day, to offer something decent.

The team here had done everything they could. But they had reached their limit.

The exterior of the building still tells a story of abandonment. Walls are damaged. Paint is peeling. The entrance gives no hint of the care waiting inside. And while the residents may not say it out loud, they see it. They feel it. Just like they feel the difference when someone enters with attention and respect.

That’s why we’ve added Furculești to the Happiness Map. Not because it’s falling apart. But because the people here have already done their part and we believe the rest is up to us.

When someone walks through the door of their last home, it matters what greets them.

What comes next is clear. The exterior of the building needs attention. It has waited long enough. Repairs, paint, small restorations, all of it meant to bring the home in line with the life already happening inside.

We’ve taken on this next step, alongside the people who continue to care for those living here. And if this place stays with you the way it stayed with us, we welcome your support in whatever form it may come.

“Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.”

— Psalm 71:9

OpenSoul Foundation was here.