The Moldova Project helps families in Moldova, Europe's poorest country, to stay together, providing support so that children are not put into orphanages and parents do not need to go abroad to find work. The families that we support live in remote villages, where there are few employment opportunities, high levels of domestic violence and extremely cold winters. The support that we offer each family depends on their needs, but includes:
- Training and advice on topics such as childcare, health, employability and relationships
- Support to find employment
- Regular one-to-one sessions with professionals including counsellors, medical professionals and social workers. Some families also need further support related to this, such as help with the cost of an operation or a course of medication.
- Practical support such as food, clothes and school supplies
- House reparations, with the support of volunteers from the UK.
- Fun and educational projects for children in the summer and winter holidays.
The intended impact of our work is that the families that we support can become self-sufficient and independent. Of the 40 families we have worked with many are now independent, and many more are close to being able to manage without our support.
In order to meet our objectives, our activities in the UK include:
- Developing the organisation's strategy and overseeing its implementation
- A range of governance plans including developing policies, setting budgets, managing expenditure and managing staff in Moldova
- Fundraising to ensure that sufficient funds are available for all of the above activities
- Finding regular donors who support families by sponsoring them
- Managing volunteering projects in Moldova for volunteers from the UK