Following the commencement of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Moldova has become a new home to 120,472 people*. Some of these individuals are awaiting the opportunity to return to Ukraine once the war concludes, while others are engaged in the process of establishing themselves in a new country.
*https://data.unhcr.org/en/country/mda
In late 2022, four international non-governmental organisations, namely Acted, REACH (IMPACT Initiative), People in Need, and the Norwegian Refugee Council, decided to join forces to help refugees and local vulnerable communities cope with the consequences of the war in Ukraine. This led to the creation of the PLACE Consortium.
Acted, as part of the PLACE Consortium, provides Cash for Rent assistance to address the urgent housing needs of refugees and vulnerable Moldovan households. The assistance, made possible through the European Union’s humanitarian aid, covers accommodation for up to six months.
What's in the past
Roxana* is the mother of four children. Before the full invasion she lived with her husband and children in a comfortable home on the shores of the Black Sea in Odesa. For almost 20 years, Roxana worked for a pharmaceutical company. All changed in February 2022.
When the situation in the city became unsafe, the woman took her three minor children and together with her sister and nephew, travelled to Palanca border point between Ukraine and Moldova. Her husband volunteered as a driver to the frontline area to help the wounded, while her eldest son stayed in Odesa.
We walked for seven hours with a baby pram among the cars. It was cold and there was a queue of 1,500 people in front of us. When the Moldovan border guards saw us with children, they let us through without queuing – Roxana recalls.
The woman remembers with gratitude the people who helped her and her children since the war began and considers herself more fortunate than many others. Despite the fact that, together with her sister, they had planned to reach their relatives in Bulgaria, they stayed in Moldova.
For a long time they lived in a boarding house that was later converted in a refugee shelter. Since their arrival two years ago, their children have grown, one of the boys is now 17. The house has become too small for the four of them, and Roxana would like to provide a more comfortable living situation for her children.
*Beneficiary’s name has been changed
What's happening in the present
At the start of the year, we went back to Odesa to sort out the paperwork. But I couldn't stay there for long. With the drones attacks, I was really worried about the children every night. We packed up and headed back to Moldova, where I started looking for a spacious flat.
Finding a place to live in proved difficult and the planned budget had to be changed. Eventually, she found an apartment big enough for her and her three children. Roxana feels satisfied with her situation and with the good relations that she has with her landlords.
Both Roxana and her children have made new acquaintances and friends in the city. It was through one of these acquaintances that the woman discovered Acted’s 6-month rent compensation scheme.
The woman recently completed a massage course that she truly enjoyed. She’s now taking make-up courses for refugees. She’s planning to get a job to support her family once the project is over.
I'm really glad to see everyone's in my family safe and well. I realised that, as well as the situation in Ukraine, there are military conflicts all over the world. We have to be flexible and not get too tied up in material things. I came to realise that we should appreciate every day. Enjoy today!
Thanks to the support of the European Union, Acted is still working with Ukrainian refugees and vulnerable Moldovan families, helping to reduce their financial burden and increase their chance of a decent life.
Privacy
