Support for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova

Moldova is a small country between southern Ukraine and Romania with a population of about 3.5 million people and currently has the highest number of refugees per capita. The main entry point for people fleeing Ukraine is Palanca in the south, just a few kilometers from Odesa, a city with more than a million inhabitants. In addition to Palanca there are about 8 other entry points from Ukraine to Moldova.
WeWorld is present in Moldova to provide aid to Ukrainian children, girls and families crossing the border.

WeWorld has decided to intervene in Moldova, currently one of the most dangerous borders in the southern front of the war in Ukraine, which has become a place of welcome for many families in difficulty. In Palanca four emergency transit centers have been set up to guarantee men, women and children a first aid through the distribution of food and basic necessities. We also guarantee support through legal guidance, psychological support, language courses and, if they wish, relocation services to allow families who have lost their homes to find safe housing. Girls, boys and teenagers are also guaranteed a space to receive psychological support, play, rest and regain a bit of normality, an essential condition to be able to look to the future.

Similar efforts made in Ukraine are continued in Moldova, with mobile teams working to provide counselling and referrals to refugees arriving in the country. In addition, psychosocial support is provided along with the creation of child-friendly spaces to offer respite from the stress of fleeing from the war.

Emergency transit centers have been set up to provide temporary shelter in a first-emergency setting, although long-term solutions will be needed as many have lost their homes in the war and therefore have nowhere to go. In addition, relocation support is also provided, connecting families who have lost their homes with safe, renovated housing

Food and other basic goods are provided to families arriving at transit centers, with an emphasis on children and infants who need specific food, diapers, and other goods. There are distribution sites that provide weekly boxes of food to refugee families.
At these transit centers, families are offered cash assistance, the amount of which is calculated based on each family and the amount of time they have been in the country. In addition, if families decide to leave, cash assistance is provided to cover the cost of transportation, food, and other basic necessities for the trip. This amount is calculated as a one-time provision for each person leaving.

In an emergency context, children need to regain their daily routines in protected environments through participation in regular, structured activities that can restore their "sense of security." Thus, safe spaces are established in refugee centers that aim to address children's rights to protection and psychosocial well-being.
Educational and recreational activities are provided by trained educators in order to provide opportunities for children and adolescents to play, rest, interact, acquire contextually relevant skills, receive psychosocial support and strengthen their resilience, understood as their ability to recover from and overcome adversity. Educational activities (language classes) are aimed at both children and adults (parents and caregivers) and awareness sessions are organized on relevant topics (children's rights, prevention of Gender Based Violence, refugee rights, etc…)