Moldova

Moldova, a former Soviet republic, is located in Eastern Europe and has a population of 2.5 million. According to the Human Development Report 2021/2022, presented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the country ranks 80th out of 191 countries with an HDI of 0.767. The latter is facing an unprecedented demographic crisis: the population has been decreasing steadily since 1990 due to a low birth rate, a rather high mortality rate and a very high emigration of the active population. Indeed, the proportion of children and adolescents (aged 0-17) in the total population has fallen from 33% in 2000 to less than 21.5% in 2021, while the proportion of people aged over 65 has risen steadily from 6% in 1990 to 10% in 2022. MAP’s actions in Moldova started in 2005, with the rehabilitation of a social canteen in Roshu offering a hot meal at lunchtime and in the evening for 25 children living on the streets. In 2007, the “Centre Foyer Manfredi” was built in Cahul and made operational, able to accommodate 40 disadvantaged children and their families in order to reintegrate them into the school and social system. In Cania, a home has been set up for 30 children and 14 volunteers with educational training, cultural and sports activities. Regular care, domestic help and a laundry service for 110 elderly, sick or disabled people have also been set up. In 2011, MAP equipped the Maternity Centre “In the Mother’s Arms”, which for one year took in 10 teenage mothers and their newborn babies, abandoned by their families. In 2012, a sports field was built. Each year, MAP covers the purchase of toys and food parcels for more than 280 children and families, part of the functioning and activities of the Social Centres of Rosu, Cania, Saseni, as well as two recurrent projects, the Mobile Social Canteen and the Social Cupboards.