Public Association of the Republic of Moldova ”The Moldova Project”, with the financial support of the global health and humanitarian organization Project HOPE, implements the ”Empowering the Ukrainians” project.
Around 700 refugee children from Ukraine will be able to play, read and learn new things every day in rooms set up in the Temporary Accommodation Centres, for refugees from Ukraine. Each of the 12 playrooms will be equipped with new furniture, seating areas, books in Ukrainian, Russian and Romanian, board games, craft materials, stationery, children’s toys and TV. The playroom will be open to all children from the care homes in Anenii Noi, Calarasi, Cimislia, Criuleni, Hincesti and Chisinau.
The aim of the project is to increase support for refugee children and their parents by implementing educational integration measures and creating safe and friendly spaces. Being away from home, relatives and financial resources, many people fall into depression, and the suffering of adults affects the mood of children. Teenagers from Ukraine are also extremely vulnerable, having to adapt to new living conditions with only one parent or grandparents.
Within the project, at least 500 parents and caregivers will benefit from parental education and psychological counseling services.
The effectiveness of the creation of such playrooms was demonstrated by previous projects of Public Association ”The Moldova Project”. Children from Moldovan villages regularly visit the local playrooms, the place where they make friends, easily find joint activities, do art therapy, homework or relax watching a movie. Such spaces increase the level of emotional satisfaction of children, an important role being played by the playworker or educator in charge of all organized activities.
The Moldova Project supported refugees from the first days of the war in Ukraine and continues to organize recreational and educational activities for children, to provide psychological and legal assistance to refugees.
Mr. Rabih Torbay, the President and CEO of Project HOPE visited Ukraine after the invasion of the Russian army and witnessed the disaster there. One of the organization’s priority goals is to fund sustainable projects that target the mental and emotional health of families fleeing war.
“We must be conscientious about the long-term effects of war and trauma on their mental health and emotional well-being, and remember that, unlike physical wounds, these injuries are not easily seen or stitched up. However, as soon as our rapid response teams deployed to Poland, Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, it became clear that we must prioritize mental health and psychosocial support for refugees, health workers, and other affected populations”, said Torbay.
Within the framework of emergency response projects, Project HOPE works in close cooperation with the World Health Organization, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and other authorities.
About Project HOPE:
With the mission to place power in the hands of local health workers to save lives around the world, Project HOPE is a global health and humanitarian organization operating in more than 25 countries. Founded in 1958, we work side-by-side with local health systems to improve health and support community resilience. We work at the epicenter of today’s greatest health challenges, including infectious and chronic diseases; disasters and health crises; maternal, neonatal and child health; pandemic preparedness and response; mental health for health workers; and the policies that impact how health care is delivered. For more information, visit www.ProjectHOPE.org and follow us on Twitter @ProjectHOPEorg.
