Moldova for Peace
“Moldova for Peace” is a non-partisan, non-profit movement that operates under the legal umbrella of several NGOs.
On February 24, Moldova opened its home to its neighbors in Ukraine. Moldova has since hosted more Ukrainian refugees per capita than any other country. Our connections with the many organizations and people in Moldova have put us in a position to significantly contribute to aid those that need support from this war. We have supported Ukrainian refugees in Moldova with food and hygiene products. We have also provided transportation and developed a distribution center that serves Ukrainians in northern Moldova. This was only made possible thanks to the wonderful people, volunteers, supporting organizations, and individual donors that supported our efforts. Below are stories from our partners on the ground that led the effort
“Moldova for Peace” is a non-partisan, non-profit movement that operates under the legal umbrella of several NGOs.
When the first waves of Ukrainians arrived in Moldova February 24th, 2022, the challenge of finding food and housing began. Smokehouse, a restaurant in Chișinău which is owned by an American expat, began operating as a temporary distribution center in February while international humanitarian aid efforts marshalled their resources. During this time, the Friends of […]
Many Ukrainian refugees begin their journey into or through Moldova at a border crossing in the Moldovan town of Palanca — one of many border crossings and other stops on the way to safety. Friends of Moldova president Bartosz Gawarecki traveled to Moldova at the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine to assist with refugee […]
The Friends of Moldova decided to pivot. Rather than join other major groups serving refugees in and near Chișinău, we elected to focus on providing services for Ukrainians in the northern, underserved regions of Moldova. Bălți was selected as our new center for operations. Bălți is the second-largest city in the country with the largest […]
Vadim and Masha are the owners of a small Russian pancake restaurant in Moldova, “Matreshka Cafeteria.” Vadim has been involved as a volunteer for many years, and helped with efforts to support the elderly during Covid. When war broke out, he rushed to the border to help transport Ukrainians to safety, sometimes sleeping 2 hours […]
The Sunflower Center is a safe space for mothers and children fleeing Ukraine, helping refugees plant a seed for their children in Chișinău, Moldova. There, refugee children can participate in educational, play-based classes in art, music, and athletics. Their goal is to give children a safe space to play, express themselves and find joy. They […]
YES Club Summer Camps with Peace Corps Moldova Peace Corps Moldova regularly hosts annual leadership camps for youth, particularly young women, when volunteers are stationed in the country. With volunteers withdrawn from Moldova since March 2020 due to the the pandemic, Peace Corps Moldova staff decided to plan week-long summer day camps for refugee youth […]