Start for the Future
Location: Cahul
Focus Area: Robotics, digital literacy, STEM education, women’s empowerment
Start for the Future received a $7,500 grant from The Friends of Moldova to expand access to robotics, STEM education, and digital literacy in Cahul. The project supported children, women, and Ukrainian refugees by providing practical technology education and equipping the St. Basil the Great Educational Center with new learning resources.
With The Friends of Moldova support, the center purchased 13 robotics sets and 5 laptops. This equipment made it possible to organize free robotics and STEM lessons for children, as well as digital literacy lessons for employed women, unemployed women, and refugee women from Ukraine.
The project exceeded its original participation targets. In total, 61 children participated in robotics and STEM activities, while 39 women participated in digital literacy courses. Across the project period, Start for the Future organized 51 total activities, including 25 robotics lessons for children and 26 digital education lessons for women. The team also contributed 163 volunteer hours to make the project possible.
The robotics component helped children build confidence with technology while developing creativity, problem-solving, patience, and teamwork. Children learned to assemble and program robotics projects, while also discovering possible future professions in technology, engineering, and programming.
The women’s digital literacy component focused on practical skills that participants could immediately apply in their personal and professional lives. Women learned Microsoft Word, Excel, graphic design, and the basics of video editing. Several participants shared that the Excel lessons helped them understand formulas, tables, budgeting, data analysis, and project planning.
The project also created concrete economic results. Two women who completed the digital literacy course began developing their own businesses. One participant used the course to prepare financial projections and calculations for a business plan, won funding, and started her company. Another participant, a Ukrainian woman living in Cahul, used the skills from the course to create a business proposal, track itemized expenses, organize a budget, prepare sales projections, and begin opening an online cosmetics shop.
Main Results
The project equipped the St. Basil the Great Educational Center in Cahul with 13 robotics sets and 5 laptops, creating a stronger foundation for continued STEM and digital education in the community.
Start for the Future organized 51 activities, including 25 robotics lessons for children and 26 digital education lessons for women. The project reached 61 children through robotics and STEM activities and 39 women through digital literacy training, including employed women, unemployed women, and Ukrainian refugees.
Children became more confident using technology and more enthusiastic about science, robotics, and future careers in technology. Women strengthened practical computer skills in Word, Excel, graphic design, budgeting, data analysis, and video editing. For some participants, these skills became a direct pathway toward employment, entrepreneurship, and greater independence.
The project also helped Start for the Future grow as a local education initiative. The center became more attractive to families, expanded its educational offer, and plans to continue robotics and digital education lessons for children. The team also identified future opportunities, including English lessons, digital education for seniors, and cybersecurity and information security courses for older adults.
What began as a grant for robotics and digital literacy became a broader investment in community capacity. Through 13 robotics sets, 5 laptops, 51 activities, 100 direct participants, and 163 volunteer hours, Start for the Future helped children and women in Cahul gain practical skills, confidence, and new possibilities for the future.
