The Orphan Lady, filmed by journalist Rob Harley, follows the journeys of several of the many Romanian orphans who were rescued through the work of Mrs van Schreven and her charity. Mr Harley's first documentary about Orphans Aid International, Someone, Somewhere Loves Me, was released in 2008.
One of the featured children was 11-year-old Andrei - rescued at the age of 3, he had never been bathed properly and still had part of his rotted umbilical cord attached. At 3, he had to learn to walk, to eat solids and to talk. He had to be held as he steadied himself to walk around his new home in the Orphans Aid International orphanage in Romania.
Mrs van Schreven said she was excited to be able to show what had happened with children who were first seen by New Zealanders seven years ago.
''This is a story of hope and rescue. I hope it will inspire others to reach out to those around them and believe they can make a difference.''
Mrs van Schreven founded Orphans Aid International in 2004 after she visited Romania and saw for herself the conditions in which orphaned children were growing up.
Upon going around the hospitals and seeing children stunted or even disabled from neglect and a lack of love, she said she knew she had to act.
The first project established was a rescue home in Turges Mures, Romania. Centres for street children in Russia and India came next and now the charity aims to expand into Aids-stricken Uganda.
Since starting Orphans Aid International, Mrs van Schreven has done whatever was necessary to keep those projects going, including sausage sizzles and auctions.
There are four op shops throughout New Zealand raising funds for this work, along with the new Fair Trade shop in Queenstown's Terrace Junction.
''There are more than 150 million children right now living without parental care,'' she said.
''The problem is big, but each of these children has a heartbreaking story.
''I had to ask myself, what wouldn't I do, if these were my children?''
• The Orphan Lady screens on TV One at 7.10am on Friday.
