Alin State – “We find tools to deal with these situations and relieve them through play and through love.”

Alin became a member of the SUS INIMA family recently. He joined the team at the beginning of the Ukraine War, his first role being to pick up refugees from the border.

It’s not easy to pinpoint a particular activity Alin has had so far in the SUS INIMA family because Alin does it all. From picking up refugees from border checkpoints to cutting the grass. From doing supplies in the Zacaria hall, where around 5000 refugees get their food, to repairing furniture or setting up offices. When you needed someone to do something, you called Alin and he would do it. Infrastructure, supplies, transport, helping out with everything.

Alin is a professional actor, he graduated Theatre University in Bucharest and has been working as an actor since 2008. He has acted in films, winning the UCIN award for best actor in a supporting role in the film Rocker, was employed by the “Bulandra” theatre in Bucharest and played on most stages in the capital and also around the entire country.

Theatre has always been a hobby for him and the reason he chose to pursue this career was because he liked to get in touch with people and be helpful. He wasn’t necessarily interested in theatre performances, he was more interested in rehearsals. He liked being backstage and so he ended up doing all sorts of things, not just acting. He was also an assistant, and a lighting designer, built and set up sets, etc. He never sat around waisting time, he was always involved in all sorts of activities.

When he started working for SUS INIMA he was very surprised by the way Lu and Carmen collaborate. He says he learned a lot from the way they organize themselves, and was impressed by their dedication and willpower. He’s in constant wonder every time he sees them in action because they inspire him to learn new things and step out of his comfort zone, to be versatile, and their motto – “we help everyone” – is all he’s ever wanted to do, to be of service to people.

From his point of view, SUS INIMA is a great place for someone who wants to be at the service of others because you have countless opportunities to serve. “If you’re really dedicated, you have work to do, no joke, because there are so many people who need help. SUS INIMA is growing every day, it’s expanding, and you need a lot of support in that growth, because SUS INIMA is becoming a community.

More and more people are starting to participate, and it’s heartwarming how the idea of community is influencing so many souls to come together with one goal: to help.” I asked Alin what is the meeting point between theatre and NGO and he answered like this: “Empathy. Theatre, without the quality of empathy, is poor theatre. In NGOs, empathy is what makes you aware of the needs of others.

The exercise of empathy in theatre makes me sensitive to the needs of others and gives me the strength to move forward. Plus teamwork, you can’t do anything if you don’t work as a team, it’s the same in theatre. Also, trusting your partner. It’s very important that everyone plays their part for the play to go on.” Currently, SUS INIMA is preparing something that will further unite theatre with the NGO. It started from the idea of creating a space where refugee children can explore their vulnerability, where they can find new ways to explore their inner selves and tools to cope with unexpected situations. It will be a complex programme involving educators, therapists, artists, trying to develop a new way of coping with events that are becoming more and more extreme and causing anxiety. Alin says: “It’s very important to learn again to laugh and smile and have a positive attitude, because they have been through a lot, they are tried. We find tools to cope with these situations and release them through play and love.”

Alin successfully manages to be that partner you can rely on no matter what the situation, whether it’s a stage in some theatre, or it’s the bigger stage, the one we all play on every day, because that’s how he’s built, to give his all where help is needed. Through his role in SUS INIMA will no doubt continue to serve in countless ways, because that is what makes him the happiest, and we are truly lucky to have him in our lives.