This article was written from the point of view of Livia Rosca, GWMD coordinator at Alternative Sociale
01 September 2026, Botoșani (Romania) — The day began with careful preparation of the space. The team set up the room for the upcoming games, creating a welcoming and energetic atmosphere. Although we had hoped to hold the activities outdoors, unpredictable weather forced us to adjust our plans and move the entire program inside. Nevertheless, the enthusiasm never waned for a second.
Within moments, the parents entered the room, filling the space instantly with emotion and joy. The activities started with dynamic games that quickly broke the ice: first, participants tested their skills in a slalom ball dribbling challenge, followed by a target-shooting competition where different distances earned points and brought waves of cheers from the parent-child teams.
After so much movement and friendly competition, everyone enjoyed a well-deserved snack break with sandwiches and water, giving families a chance to talk quietly and cherish calm moments together.
Re-energised after the break, we resumed the activities with a popular, adapted game inspired by Squid Game: holding hands, participants moved around the room to music, freezing completely in place whenever the song stopped. Any slight movement detected when the “doll” turned around meant elimination from the round, triggering bursts of laughter and great suspense.
“Activities like these are extremely important for our community and for the reintegration process.”
— Dumitru-Daniel Pînzariu, Director of Botoșani Penitentiary
The final game tested attention and agility: participants were split on either side of a central line and had to switch sides quickly based on commands called out by the facilitator. We also played with bolas and frisbees, which added even more fun and movement to the session.
After so much play, laughter, and precious moments of connection, the day came to an end. At the end, the children went home with a gift from us — a frisbee personalised with the project — taking with them priceless memories and leaving behind an atmosphere full of warmth.
This event was part of Game with Mum & Dad, a project coordinated by Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) across Europe. The Project aims to strengthen, maintain and enhance the bond between children and their imprisoned parents, and to generate systemic, child rights–based change across prison systems.
In Romania, GWMD is implemented by Alternative Sociale, an NGO working in Romania to raise awareness on issues resulting from the interaction of children with the justice system.
