Tasuleasa Social
High up near Piatra Fântânelelor, where the air is crisp and the forests are dense, the Tasuleasa Social campus has been reshaping Romania for over two decades. It’s not just an NGO, but a community of active volunteers, workers, and tourists This organisation operates on a simple yet radical premise: change does not come from waiting for someone else to act. It comes from picking up a shovel, planting a tree, or carving a stone To understand what Tasuleasa Social truly is, we first need to understand the community that created it. So, we sat down with the team to discuss the projects, their challenges, achievements, and motivation
Q: What was the hardest or most difficult part at the beginning?
A: The things you see now were not like this from the beginning; everything was developed along the way We didn't want any financial involvement from the state, precisely because we are a non-profit organization, and we wanted to remain private to preserve our identity. Therefore, our only sources of income for the past 26 years have been sponsorships from companies or donations from individuals.
Q: What are the “Road Parents” (Parinti de drum)?
A: The "Road Parents" have the role of looking after the Via Transilvanica trail, rather than getting involved financially. Once we finalized the route, meaning the marking and placement of the milestones, we felt the need for a helping hand from the local people. That’s when we launched the idea of the "Road Parent "
This means that an individual, a school, an association, so basically any entity really, takes responsibility for a certain number of kilometres on Via Transilvanica
THE PRICE OF INDEPENDENCE
Chosing to create such an impactful and complex project without state founding is a massive risk, but as Stefan points out, it was the only way to guarantee that Tasuleasa can maintain its authentic identity. The campus, the trail, and everything we see today here was built brick-by-brick by the people who believed in Tasuleasa. This financial model reflects the spirit of community that Tasuleasa revived This proves that when a project or a vision is honest and transparent, people will unite to keep it alive
A COMMUNITY THAT TRULY CARES
By integrating the "Road Parents" concept into Via Transilvanica, the organisation was able to make this project more accessible. It doesn’t ask for financial help, but rather time, care and presence. Allowing anyone to adopt a kilometer and take care of the trail, Tasuleasa made sure that the trail remains safe and alive, not by corporate entities, but by the people who love it
Q: What is it like to work at Tășuleasa Social, from behind the scenes of the organisation?
A: It is very interesting because what is seen from the outside is, in a way, the hardearned result of many, many people If I’m not mistaken, since this idea first appeared, about 20,000 people have worked to make this project what we see today; what reaches the public is only a small fraction of what we actually do.
We try to understand their needs so we can develop the project and ensure it is wellreceived by everyone This has helped us immensely, not just the fact that we’ve received so much positive feedback, but the fact that every single day we are trying to improve what happens on the trail This is what truly builds our overall image
I believe one of the most important things is that we talk extensively with the hikers and the people out on the trail
Q: What do you find special about Via Transilvanica and Tășuleasa Social, especially since you live here and are part of it every day?
A: For me, it’s the fact that people come here and say they’ve discovered a Romania they never knew existed and I’m part of that story too I had never been to Bucovina until I came here as a hiker on Via Transilvanica, before I even started working here, and it felt like I had discovered a completely different world
To me, that’s the most amazing part: the fact that people discover their country, and through that, they discover themselves. You essentially discover where you come from, and everything connects so much more beautifully for each of us
The true definition of adventure
