Concordia Social Projects provides emergency aid for Ukrainian refugees in the Republic of Moldova
1/3/2022 - 41,255 Ukrainian refugees currently seeking protection in the Republic of Moldova
According to the Moldovan Ministry of the Interior, a total of 87,257 Ukrainians fled to the Republic of Moldova across the borders in Palanca, Tudora, Otaci and Criva last week. Half of them have moved on towards the west. The other half is seeking shelter in the Republic of Moldova for the time being, processing the shock of the last few days. Many are very worried about their relatives. Mostly elderly people, women and children have come. Their sons, husbands and fathers, however, have remained in the country to defend Ukraine.
In Moldova, our colleagues are working around the clock to create places to stay and to equip empty houses and rooms with the most basic necessities: Water, electricity, gas, internet, beds, furniture. The willingness to help in the country is great. The mobile phones of our Moldovan colleagues are currently running hot: many volunteers are coming forward to help with the initial care of the arrivals.
The war in the neighbouring country can be heard all over Moldova. The fear of being occupied by Russia is omnipresent. - reports our Executive Director Bernhard Drumel, who is on site these days.
Ludmila, our colleague from the village of Coșnița, on the Transnistrian border, who is currently looking after seven children between the ages of 3 and 16 with her team, says she would like to have all the children's passports with her at all times so that she can leave with them as quickly as possible if it becomes unsafe. She already has water stored in the cellar, as well as food. She would go to bed dressed every night so that she would be ready to leave as soon as possible. But without the children? No, she won't go without the children.
We are very grateful for our Moldovan colleagues who, in this chaotic and tense situation and despite their own fears, remain calm, give the children and families in our facilities stability and, as far as possible, safe daily routines and a sense of security.
Concordia Ukraine emergency aid in the Republic of Moldova
- at the borders in receiving and distributing relief goods such as food, documents, etc.
- in organising initial refugee reception centres- delivering food to border personnel
- transporting people from customs to Chisinau
- arranging and organising volunteers
- newly created accommodation in now empty buildings, as we quickly moved our children and young people to the capital: Tudora, Bolohani, Nemteni, Rusestii Noi, Stauceni + Riscani.
UKRAINE EMERGENCY AID donate now.
„We heard rockets in the village next to ours. And we knew that there were no bomb shelters anywhere nearby. Who would have thought that we would ever need bomb shelters?”
Less than a week ago, Ekaterina and her family lived in Podgorie, a little Ukrainian village, in Odessa region. Now they are in Moldova for the first time, on the safe side of the border. But Ekaterina`s husband is still in the Ukraine.
She, her two children and her mother-in-low came with the bus at the border and they crossed it by foot. After these terrible days and hours, they are safe now in one of our shelters.
26/02/2022: There is great fear in Moldova that it will soon be affected by the war itself.
What no one wanted to believe a few days ago has unfortunately come true: the Russian military has now reached the Ukrainian capital Kiev. People are hiding at home, in basements and metro stations; many are trying to flee across the country's borders. To date, more than 26,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in the Republic of Moldova. It is estimated that around 70,000 people will cross the Moldovan border from Ukraine.
The Republic of Moldova and its government show solidarity with Ukraine - a crisis team met yesterday on the reception and humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees - while at the same time people in the country are increasingly worried about their own safety. The Republic of Moldova is, along with Kosovo, the poorest country in Europe and is itself dependent on support from abroad.
When asked by Moldovan television how long the Republic of Moldova could hold out against Russia, Moldovan President Maia Sandu demonstratively looked at her watch and said, "We could probably manage 15 minutes".
As the country's largest NGO, Concordia takes its responsibility in the Ukraine crisis very seriously. Since yesterday, 25 February,Concordia Moldova is part of the national crisis team on the Ukraine crisis and offers direct assistance to Ukrainian refugees. Concordia staff and many volunteers are helping with the distribution of relief goods and the accommodation of refugees; providing transport services from the border to the Moldovan capital Chișinău, as well as supporting border personnel with food.
Bernhard Drumel
Additional funds for rapid help and accommodation for refugee families
Concordia Social Projects has spread its social institutions in over 60 municipalities throughout Moldova. Five of their social centres border directly on the Ukrainian-Transnistrian border. For days now, gunshots have been heard in the air from there. As a precautionary measure, children living there for whom Concordia has custody were taken to temporary accommodation in Chișinău. In the now empty facilities, a total of 60 sleeping places for refugees could be provided as a first step. Many more people are being supplied with food and water by Concordiastaff on site.
A particular challenge is the electricity and gas supply in the facilities near the Transnistrian border: the supply, which takes place via Transnistria, is repeatedly interrupted. At present, the outages can still be bridged with generators that were procured in advance.
We urgently ask for financial support for the people from Ukraine seeking help!
Concordia Social Projects Donation Account IBAN: AT28 3200 0000 1318 7893