£4215
is the average annual income in Moldova.1
Only 26% of Moldovans
accept the inclusion of people with special needs in their community.1
More than100,000
Ukrainian refugees are sheltering in Moldova
Background
Moldova is a small country between its big neighbours, Romania and Ukraine. It’s population is just 2.6 million. It is estimated that between 1.2 and 2 million Moldovan citizens are living and working abroad. The official language is Romanian, but many Moldovans also speak Gagauz and/or Russian. Moldova is a largely rural country with three famous wine-producing regions. It is one of the world’s largest exporters of walnuts, which are widely used in the local cuisine.
In 2021 the UN reported that only 26% of the population were happy to see people with special needs included in their community. When Moldova was part of the Soviet Union, disabled children were usually taken from their parents and sent to live in institutions. Autistic children were also generally given a diagnosis of being mentally retarded. Although there are moves to include disabled people more fully in society, progress is slow both because of poor funding for the health and social sector, and because of public attitudes.
Our approach
NGOs are at the forefront of change, creating services and advocating for disabled people. We are working with three local charities to help strengthen their work by funding services for disabled children, staff training and organisational development.
Our local partners are:
The Wish (Dorintsa) provides therapy for children with special needs living in Călărași and surrounding area.
Rain Kids (Copii Ploii) is based in the capital, Chișinău, and also provides therapy for children with special needs.
Sunny Corner (Plaiul Soarelui) runs a farm where young people with special needs can take part in meaningful work and social activities.
*Featured image Rob from United Kingdom, www.bbmexplorer.com 1 – Moldova: country data and statistics (worlddata.info)
