Romanian children bear burden of parental migration

In Romania, one of Europe's poorest countries, labor migration has torn families apart. Three million Romanians work abroad, often not seeing their children for years. Children like 11-year-old Maria from Târgoviște are raised by grandparents and forced to mature quickly. Maria helps her grandmother with cooking and cleaning, accompanies her to medical appointments in Târgoviște or Bucharest, and notes medication dosages. She sometimes misses school but does not complain, stating she is used to caring for her grandmother. The phenomenon reflects a widespread social crisis.