[Moldova]We provided food and other relief supplies with refugees from Ukraine
About 120,000 people who evacuated from Ukraine live in neighboring Moldova. As their life in evacuation is prolonged, the Moldovan government pursues the policy of integrating the evacuees to the Moldovan society. In line with this policy, the number of RACs (Refugee Accommodation Centers) has been decreased from 136 to 44 at the end of 2023.
Those who can no longer stay at the RAC and those who recently arrived in Moldova find private housing with subsidies from the Moldovan government with conditions of finding jobs, or stay with their acquaintance. However, some people find it difficult to support their lives because it is difficult for some to work, or their works do not bring enough income to make ends meet. Therefore, there still are many refugees who depend on food aid and supply of relief commodities.
Refugees from Ukraine who came to receive the food package.
Peace Winds, in cooperation with Moldova for Peace, one of the largest consortium of Moldovan civil society organizations, provided about 4,950 sets of food packages to refugees from Ukraine at the large distribution center called Moldova Film (it is called by this name because it used to be a movie studio).
Natalia, from Moldova for Peace, told us that they ran out of things to distribute at the end of January 2024, since many international aid organizations left Moldova in recent months.
Natalia from Moldova for Peace on the left. In the background, a pile of food packages await distribution.
Natalia also told us that the refugees still need daily necessities such as diapers. Since most of them are women, children and the elderly, diapers not just for babies but for adults are always in demand.
Children helped us with the packaging of food.
At the Moldova Film, those who evacuated from Ukraine work as staff helping the distribution and other works. There are people who escaped from Odessa, not far away from Moldova’s capital Chisinau, and there are people from the eastern part of Ukraine which is now occupied by Russia. Despite the difficult situations they are in, many people cheerfully help each other in running the aid operation. Together with volunteers from Moldova, Ukrainian staff put together more than 1,000 sets of aid packages with various food.
Peace Winds included fresh vegetables to the food package for better nutrition even though it requires extra work.
Packaged food
The distribution center was so cold in March that the staff needed warm jackets. Peace Winds delivered some hand-knit scarfs contributed by our supporters. Those who received them were so happy to have them.
While support for Ukraine and its reconstruction continues, not enough attention is paid to refugees living in neighboring countries and to the burden of host nations. Peace Winds continues to support Ukrainian and Moldovan people.
This project has been supported by the contribution from individual and corporate supporters and the grant from Japan Platform, and has been executed in cooperation with our partner Moldova for Peace. We ask for your continuous support. Thank you.