As of late April 2024, UNHCR has recorded over 118,000 Ukrainian refugees in Moldova 1, two years after Russia's war against Ukraine began in February 2022. The influx of refugees has made Moldova a primary host country and has put pressure on its socio-economic development. Vulnerable Moldovans share many of the same concerns as Ukrainian refugees, including limited access to housing, which can be a common barrier to security and economic stability, further limiting their self-resilience.
1. UNHCR: https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine
Acted, as part of the PLACE Consortium of NGOs, provided the Cash for Rent (C4R) assistance to address the urgent housing needs of refugees and vulnerable Moldovan households. The assistance covers their temporary or transitional accommodation needs for six months.
The PLACE Consortium comprises Acted, REACH (IMPACT Initiative), People in Need, and Norwegian Refugee Council, and receives financial support from the European Union.
Life goes on
Galina 2 is a mother of five from Moldova. Except for her eldest daughter who is studying at a university in Romania, the rest of her children are from one to five years old and depend on her care. Her husband shoulders the financial responsibility of the family as a handyman.
When she learned about Acted’s rental assistance from a friend, she and her family were going through a critical financial situation. While supporting a big family was already challenging, the urgent medical needs of one of her sons put additional financial stress on Galina and her husband. At that time, with no one to turn to, Galina described her situation as like “wrestling [with] yourself like a fish on ice”.
Therefore, Galina called Acted for registration and received the first transfer of rental assistance in August 2023.
When I got the first payment for improving the home condition, I watched it for a long time, and I couldn’t believe that this was true. And every month’s payment has been such a shock.
With the rental assistance reducing the financial burden, Galina and her husband were able to pay for their youngest son’s intensive treatment of his leg. Just six months ago, the little boy cried out in pain at night but now his legs have recovered. He can run and walk, which surprised his orthopaedic doctor. They also made some changes to their accommodation, including getting the new curtains. The family can now also afford to buy fruits for their children.
Since the rental assistance ended in January 2024 for Galina’s family, and the financial difficulties they faced, she is hoping that her husband will qualify as a welder and potentially advance his career. When the kids are old enough for daycare, she also hopes to get a job and “life would be easier than it is now”.
The positive changes in Galina’s life are helping Acted and its PLACE Consortium partners look at the next year of the programme with renewed vigour. With the new enrolment launched in February 2024, more refugees and Moldovan families will receive financial support to help with rent and improve their living conditions.
