On May 1, while many Romanians were enjoying barbecues, ultramarathoner Adrian Şovea embarked on one of the most challenging physical and human endeavors ever organized in Romania: "Drumul Speranței," a 2,800km race around the country's borders. The race, dedicated to institutionalized children supported by Ajungem MARI, aims to raise funds for their psychological support.

A Sportsperson Transforming Pain into Fuel

Adrian Şovea's journey is far from the typical athlete's biography. Abandoned by his mother at age two and raised in a violent and deprived environment, he found refuge and survival in sport. Running became his form of healing. Today, the same strength that kept him on his feet is directed toward children who have experienced similar hardships.

"I was born from a mistake. But I became proof that some mistakes change the world," says Adrian Şovea, ultramarathoner.

Each step he takes aims to send a powerful message to abandoned children: the past is not a sentence.

"I'm not running just for myself, but for every child who has been told at least once that they can't. 2,800km start with a single step, and each kilometer represents an hour of therapy for a child who learned too early what abandonment means," he says.

An Extreme Race, A Greater Cause

The campaign aims to raise 100,000 euros for psychological therapy sessions for vulnerable children and youth in Ajungem MARI programs. For most institutionalized children, trauma does not dissipate when they leave the care center. It follows them in relationships, in school, and in adult life. Abuse, rejection, abandonment, and lack of attachment leave deep marks, and therapy is often the only real chance for healing.

"Psychotherapy is not a luxury for institutionalized children, but the foundation on which they can build an independent and healthy life," says Iarina Taban, founder of the Ajungem MARI program.

Through therapy, children learn to recognize their emotions, manage their fears, and believe that their lives can look different from what they have experienced so far.