Moldova for Peace
“Moldova for Peace” is a non-partisan, non-profit movement that operates under the legal umbrella of several NGOs.
ATTENTION: THIS PROJECT WAS ACTIVE FROM 2/27/2022 – 1/31/2024. WE NO LONGER ACCEPT DONATIONS FOR UKRAINE REFUGEE RELIEF. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING UKRAINE REFUGEE RELIEF IN MOLDOVA, PLEASE CHECK OUT CHURCH WORLD SERVICES AND ZDOROVII GOROD.
WE HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP AND RECOMMEND THEM!
Ukraine Response | CWS (cwsglobal.org) (US Organization)
Ukraine Response | Zdorovii Gorod (zdoroviigorod.org) (Moldovan NGO)
The Friends of Moldova has been on the ground assisting with the Ukrainian refugee crisis shortly after Russia’s invasion. Our work in this situation started with transporting Ukrainians from the Palanca border entry to various locations in Moldova.
On February 26th, we launched a fundraiser focused on our relief efforts and thanks to the overwhelming amount of donations we received, we were able to shift our focus to the Smokehouse distribution center in Chisinau, where our fundraiser provided for roughly 1/3 of the operations there. When that distribution center closed in March, our needs assessment took us to Balti where we have been working since April 2022.
Our journey from Palanca to Balti is filled with moments of resilience and hope, and none of it could have been accomplished with the assistance of our donors and partners. Read more about how we continue to support Ukrainians beyond our distribution centers and how local organizations are contributing to the efforts.
Our distribution center is in Bălți, a town located in the northern region of the country. Ukrainians in nearby areas stop by our center to receive services and/or products and the northern municipalities can call our designated hotline to request food and non-food items. For the municipalities, either our staff will deliver the requested items to that municipality or representatives will come to Bălți to pick up the items. We have provided for the following towns: Brătușeni, Briceni, Caușeni, Chișinău, Corjeuți, Dondușeni, Drochia, Edineț, Falești, Florești, Lipcani, Mihaileni, Ocnița, Otaci, Palanca, Rîșcani, Sîngerei, Soroca, Telenești, Volintiri, Zăbriceni
Through many partnerships, we’ve also had projects in various parts of Moldova. We teamed up with Peace Corps Moldova for their YES Camp Clubs in Volintiri and Telenești. The Smokehouse Distribution Center, Moldova for Peace, and Matreshka Cafe are all in Chișinău. Alongside with Zdorovii Gorod, we assisted with transportation from the border at the Palanca border crossing and Căușeni.
“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 […]