Asociatia FREE

What Asociatia FREE does

Asociatia FREE is a Romanian nonprofit association (asociație) headquartered in Bucharest that operates a portfolio of programs targeting sexual exploitation, pornography, and human trafficking affecting women and children in Romania. The organization runs a residential shelter (Casa Talita) providing 6-12 month transitional housing with social assistance and psychotherapy; a drop-in day center (Martisor) serving roughly 30 families weekly with showers, clothing, support groups, and counseling; multiple field outreach streams including street outreach three times weekly in Bucharest red-light districts, strip-club outreach in Bucharest and Constanta, online outreach, and a children's community outreach program near the North Train station in partnership with Casa Cana Community Church; and a House on the Rock shelter in the Brasov area (opened 2023) with capacity for six families of mothers and children who are sex-trafficking victims. Prevention work centers on the proprietary '3D: Decisions Determine Destiny' interactive book released in October 2015 and the Born2Fly curriculum first deployed in Romania in summer 2014, complemented by awareness campaigns (e.g., 'Real Men don't buy sex,' Metrorex public-transit activations) and the 'Deschide Ochii' (Open Your Eyes) advocacy project (2013-2015) run jointly with peer NGOs. The organization also publishes free educational resources (Guide on Human Trafficking, comic books) and operates a psychoeducational online course launched in September 2020 with 50+ enrolled women.

The business model is donation-funded: monthly recurring donations in RON (50-500) and EUR (10-100) via bank transfer or Stripe, one-time donations for specific project costs (e.g., 10,000 EUR for a shelter van, 1,000 EUR per legal case), and Romanian 3.5%/20% tax redirection. Cross-border financial backing comes through Entraide Lutherienne of France (which funded the initial Casa Talita pilot in October 2016) and Association Talita, which joined as a core partner in May 2017. Operational reach spans at least 7 Romanian cities (Bucharest, Constanta, Ploiesti, Campina, Brasov, Ruse, Sighisoara, Targu Mures) with a stated headcount of approximately 8 employees, supplemented by volunteer networks and international interns. There is no proprietary technology platform; digital assets are limited to the website, a Facebook prayer group, and downloadable prevention materials. Impact reported on the website includes 100+ women and children sheltered since 2017 and 300+ at-risk children reached through prevention programs.

Name

Asociatia FREE

Legal name

Asociația F.R.E.E.

Website

https://asociatiafree.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Asociatia FREE is a Romanian nonprofit that runs residential shelters (Casa Talita, House on the Rock), a drop-in day center, and field outreach programs for sexually exploited women, trafficking survivors, and at-risk children across 7 Romanian cities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Anti-Trafficking Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGABAG

Child Protection & Child Rights

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/International Development & Poverty Alleviation

Keywords

• Anti-trafficking services
• Sexual exploitation prevention
• Survivor safe housing
• Community outreach programs
• School-based prevention curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Bucharest

HQ country

Romania

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Recurring Donations: Monthly recurring donations via bank transfer or Stripe, supporting ongoing operational costs for shelter, outreach, and programs.
2. One-time Donations: One-time donations for specific needs (food baskets, renovation, utilities, lawyer expenses, medical care) funded through PayPal, Stripe, and Romanian tax redirection programs.
3. Tax Redirection (3.5% and 20%): Romanian taxpayers can redirect 3.5% of income tax or 20% of profit tax to the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Asociatia FREE operates direct intervention and prevention programs for women and children affected by sexual exploitation and trafficking in Romania. Its core services include the Casa Talita transitional apartment, drop-in centers, mentoring, the House on the Rock long-term housing program, and multi-channel outreach (street, strip club, online, and children community). It also delivers prevention programming through the Born2Fly school curriculum, the 3D: Decisions Determine Destiny book, and a psychoeducational online course for at-risk youth.

Product overview

Asociatia FREE is a Romanian non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs for sexually exploited women and children. The core programs include Casa Talita (transitional apartment providing 6-12 months housing with social assistance and psychotherapy), the Drop-in Center (day center offering showers, clothing, support groups, and counseling), and various Outreach programs (street, strip club, online, and children community outreach). Prevention efforts include the 3D: Decisions Determine Destiny interactive book, Born2Fly curriculum, and multiple awareness campaigns. The organization also publishes educational resources including the Guide on Human Trafficking, comic books, and testimonial booklets. All programs are coordinated from Bucharest with outreach extending to 7 Romanian cities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Casa Talita Safe House Transitional housing program for women survivors of sexual exploitation and trafficking, offering safe accommodation, rehabilitation support, and reintegration services as part of the association's continuum of care.
• Drop-in Center

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ beneficiaries (women and children) sheltered since 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association TalitacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined in May 2017 to partner with Asociatia FREE in supporting the Casa Talita program. Talita.org organization specializing in similar mission.
• Casa Cana Community ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Children Community Outreach program at North Train station red-light district. Churches provide venue and volunteers for weekly children's programs.
• Noi ZoiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner NGO in 'Deschide Ochii' (Open Your Eyes) advocacy project from 2013-2015, training young advocates from at-risk cities.
• Centru Ratiu Pentru DemocraticminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner NGO in 'Deschide Ochii' advocacy project 2013-2015, training young advocates from at-risk cities.
• Love 125minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner NGO in 'Deschide Ochii' advocacy project 2013-2015, training young advocates from at-risk cities.
• EliberareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner NGO in 'Deschide Ochii' advocacy project 2013-2015, training young advocates from at-risk cities. Also mentioned as NGO doing prevention work.
• Born2FlyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurriculum provider for prevention programs. Asociatia FREE premiered Born2Fly curriculum in Romania in summer 2014, used with children in Gara de Nord area.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• ECPAT International: Global network focused on ending sexual exploitation of children, with national member organizations in many countries. Comparable child-protection and anti-trafficking mission, operating more as an umbrella/advocacy network than direct service provider.
• The A21 Campaign: Global anti-trafficking NGO operating shelters, outreach, and prevention curriculum programs in multiple countries including parts of Europe. Comparable program mix (shelter, outreach, prevention education) and target beneficiary group.
• Polaris Project: US-based anti-trafficking organization running the National Human Trafficking Hotline and survivor support programs. Comparable in operating hotlines/outreach and serving survivors of sex trafficking, but at significantly larger scale and different geography.
• Love146: International anti-trafficking organization operating survivor care homes, prevention education, and advocacy. Comparable in program architecture (shelter + prevention + awareness) but operates at much greater global scale across multiple countries.
• International Justice Mission: Large global anti-trafficking organization with survivor aftercare, prevention education, and casework across Eastern Europe including Romania. Directly comparable mission around sexual exploitation and trafficking, with broader geographic and programmatic scale.

Regional players

• Caritas Romania: Large Romanian faith-based social services organization providing shelter, family support, and humanitarian aid across Romania. Comparable in providing social assistance to vulnerable women and families in the same geography, but with broader social services scope beyond anti-trafficking.
• Terre des Hommes Romania: Branch of international child rights NGO operating in Romania, providing services to vulnerable children including those at risk of exploitation and trafficking. Comparable child-protection mission and Romanian geography, but with broader child welfare scope.

Direct peers

• Noi Zoi: Romanian nonprofit named as a partner in the 2013-2015 'Deschide Ochii' advocacy project alongside Asociatia FREE. Focuses on human trafficking prevention and youth advocacy in Romania, making it a directly comparable domestic peer in mission and geography.
• Eliberare: Romanian NGO referenced as a partner in the Deschide Ochii advocacy project and identified as doing prevention work in the same space as Asociatia FREE. Directly comparable peer operating domestically on anti-trafficking prevention.
• Association Talita: French anti-trafficking organization explicitly partnered with Asociatia FREE since May 2017 to support the Casa Talita program. Operates shelter and aftercare programs for women exploited in prostitution, with directly comparable mission, beneficiary profile, and program structure.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/FREEprayerchain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asociatia-free

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asociatia FREE