Elena is an English teacher, but for the 2023-2024 school year, she didn’t return to her school in Ukraine where she had been teaching. Russian aggression forced her to seek refuge in the Republic of Moldova. Fortunately, she found the help she needed at the DEMOS Public Association through the project “Integrated humanitarian response for Ukrainians affected by conflict and third-country nationals from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova.”
Elena admits that the decision to leave her home country was not easy. However, she is grateful to have found a new opportunity for a peaceful life in Moldova. To begin the integration process, Elena required temporary protection, and DEMOS provided the necessary legal assistance.
“Although Moldova is a neighboring country, I initially had concerns about coming here because I had never visited before. I made the decision to seek refuge after speaking with a colleague who had already left Ukraine. Before coming to DEMOS, I attempted to settle in Bălți, but encountered several obstacles. I struggled to enroll my child in school and, being a foreigner on my own, I was unsure of what steps to take. Fortunately, I received substantial assistance here. The association’s specialists helped me obtain temporary protection and guided me through all the necessary procedures to enroll my daughter in school.”
The integration process extends beyond school hours, where Elena actively participates in classroom activities. To help her daughter adapt more easily to the new social environment, DEMOS organizes Romanian language courses within the project, which Elena’s daughter attends. This initiative supports their integration into the community and facilitates their adjustment to life in Moldova.
“Marica, Elena’s daughter, has already made friends at school. The headteacher, along with the other teachers, are understanding and kind-hearted. Marica enjoys it here; she participates in dance classes and Romanian language lessons. I’m inspired by my daughter’s experience, even though I haven’t taken the language courses myself yet. It’s a significant advantage for us to be able to communicate with locals in Russian, especially during this initial period when we have many concerns.”
Coming from an area where the sounds of war disrupted her peace, Elena sought psychological support, which she found at DEMOS. Encouraged by the center’s specialists, Elena is working towards integrating herself, including professionally.
“I miss having a stable job that would ensure me a decent living here, but thanks to the help I received at DEMOS, I managed to find students and teach English lessons. I would like to have more students, so we can stay here. I am so grateful to those who helped us that I help others whenever I can. We, refugees, are used to sharing what little we have with others. Just as someone shared with us from their little. Of course, we would like there to be no more of this destructive war. It would be easier to make plans. At least now we feel safe.”
The project “Integrated humanitarian response for Ukrainians affected by conflict and third-country nationals from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, and Moldova” is implemented in partnership with Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe (DKH), with financial support from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA). In Moldova, the project is coordinated by the Alliance of NGOs active in the field of Child and Family Social Protection (APSCF), together with 5 implementing partners (NGOs): Amici dei Bambini Moldova (AiBi), Public Association DEMOS, Public Association “Alternative Sociale”, Partnerships for Every Child (P4EC), and the Center for Information and Documentation on Child Rights in Moldova (CIDDC).