About the founder of the association

Monique Gruber has dedicated her life to working with underprivileged and handicapped children in Central and Southeastern Europe. Confronted by social problems in post-Communist countries while serving alongside her husband, a former German ambassador to Yugoslavia, Hungary and Romania, she initiated social and educational projects with the aim of giving these children a better chance in life. Her background is in philology, which she read at the Sorbonne. She has worked as a translator and taught French and English at high school through university levels in France, the U.K. and U.S.

Social and Educational Projects

2004-2008 Concordia Organization for Children in Need Bucharest, Romania
Worked intensively with a group of 15 of Concordia´s 400 former street children, including founding and organizing a choir, „Sursum Corda", which performed at various public and social functions; a theatre group which participated in Sibiu’s International Theatre Festival in 2006 and 2007; a summer camp and cultural and sports activities (inter alia: drawing, swimming, cooking, museum and concert outings).

2005 Choir at the Tirgsor Women´s Penitentiary Bucharest, Romania
Established a choir at the penitentiary with the aim of fostering detainees´ reintegration into society. Performances include a joint concert with the Diplomatic choir in Biserica Luterana, Bucharest.
In the meantime, the choir regularly performs in churchs and institutions of the region under the conduct of Mihai Nae, an amazing pedagogue and devoted conductor. In May 2011, the association "Jungen Rumänen eine Chance!" acquired a set of chimes for the choir which was handed over to them by Monique Gruber who also attended the first repetition. A very moving experience....The girls are now learning to read music and are presently giving Christmas concerts in near by communities with the chimes.

2000-2003 Hungarian Institute for the Blind Budapest, Hungary
Organized music events with blind youth in cooperation with an amateur chamber orchestra.

1997-1999 Centre for Autistic Children Belgrade, Serbia
Worked one-on-one with autistic children using the Montessori method, developing specific skills, fostering concentration and favouring interactive communication.

Aug. 1990 Summer camp for children from Tchernobyl Bonn, Germany

1988-1992 Scouts de France Bonn, Germany
Led scout groups (age 11 to 18), organized theme-oriented summer camps, including a year-long Circus project with 70 children and public performances.

Conferences and Symposia

May 2006 "Current Developments in the Care and Education of Persons with Autistic Spectrum Disorder" Conference
Bucharest, Romania
Initiated and organized an international conference together U.K. charity, „Children in distress”, to raise public awareness, establish networks among professionals for exchange and support via workshops, training and lectures (follow-up conferences held in 2007 and 2008) for 300 participants including doctors, public health officials, therapists and families.

Mar. 1999 "Women and Violence in War" Belgrade, Serbia
Organized a symposium on the occasion of Women´s Day with 250 women from the Serbian civil society and speakers from all republics of former Yugoslavia.

Dec. 1998 "Human Rights Charter 1948-1998: The Relevance of Human Rights Today"
Belgrade, Serbia
Initiated series of events (i.a. exhibiton by refugee art students, publication of brochures with children´s paintings) to highlight the importance of human rights for war-torn Yugoslavia.


Fundraising Experience

2003-2006 Deutscher KulturKreis Bukarest Bucharest, Romania
Founded the German Cultural Circle (DKKB) and initiated a Franco-German Advent Bazaar to raise funds for social projects in Romania (yearly up to 30.000 €) to benefit social organizations supporting children and elderly persons in need and finance Tirgsor choir.

June 1998 International cuisine event and lottery Belgrade, Serbia
Raised 15.000 DM to purchase a bus for providing daily transportation from villages around Belgrade to day care centre for children with autism.