How Moldova helps Ukrainian refugees fleeing war with Russia

DW (English)

More than 1.3 million Ukrainians have entered Moldova since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. About 98,000 have stayed. For a poor country with a population of just 2.6 million, that's a massive challenge.

Transcript

00:00It's 10 a.m. in Orhei, a city about 40 kilometers north of Moldova's capital, Kisinau.

00:07About 100 Ukrainian refugees have gathered this morning on the premises of this bread factory.

00:13They are waiting for Ina Negrutza, an entrepreneur and volunteer who's been helping refugees ever

00:18since they began streaming across the border after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

00:25Above all, the refugees are waiting eagerly for the help Negrutza brings.

00:31Several times a month, she and other volunteers put together packages of essential food supplies

00:36for the refugees. She receives financial support from a number of European NGOs.

00:43One by one, the refugees collect their packages.

00:55One by one, having a child who didn't have a year when the war started.

00:59And respectively, I decided to apply myself.

01:01I was always with a full reserve on my own car to get rid of the country in case of a risk for us.

01:08But at the same time, at the same time, I helped and believed in the following way,

01:11that if I will help and if, Lord Christ, I am in war,

01:15I will also be helped in other countries where I can leave in case of risk and of war in my country.

01:21Alina, who prefers not to give her surname, is also waiting in line to pick up her package.

01:27She and her large family fled the Ukrainian city of Odessa, where she used to work as a teacher,

01:34just a few days after the Russian invasion began. They left everything behind and came to Moldova.

01:41When she crossed the border, carrying her children in her arms in the bitter winter cold,

01:46Alina says that she encountered an overwhelming level of kindness in Moldova.

01:50We met her very happily.

01:54We really helped.

01:57We were no need to help.

02:00We asked her, please, what do you need, how do you help?

02:04We found her little blanket for the younger daughter.

02:08We found her in the first months.

02:10We asked her, even if it was not easy to ask her,

02:14but probably not needed to ask her, because they offered everything.

02:19Please, please, take her, we will help you.

02:22Just tell her, please.

02:23Thank you very much in Moldavia and the Moldavian people.

02:27Violeta is another Ukrainian refugee.

02:30Like millions of her compatriots, she had no choice but to flee her country.

02:35Violeta says that the war has changed her life forever.

02:39She's not optimistic that there will be a ceasefire in Ukraine anytime soon,

02:44and has decided to start a completely new life in Moldova.

02:47I don't think that it will happen soon.

02:50Because she wants a lot of us.

02:52And we have a lot of young people, people, people who are really patriots,

02:59who are still защищating and защищating them.

03:02Thank you very much.

03:03We don't go to those who he wants.

03:09What he wants is to give everything.

03:10I don't know who he wants.

03:13I don't know who he wants.

03:14I just want to give everything.

03:15We all have to take him and forgive him.

03:17I don't think that it will end quickly.

03:20According to official data, over 1.3 million Ukrainian refugees have

03:25entered the Republic of Moldova since February 2022.

03:28Dmitry Lykartev is a third generation Ukrainian born in Moldova.

03:33He is president of the National Congress of Ukrainians in Moldova.

03:37Lykartev says that there are currently about 98,000 Ukrainians in the country.

03:43This is a considerable amount for a poor country with a population of just 2.6 million.

03:48With the assistance of international partners,

03:51the Moldovan government supports unemployed refugees to the tune of 112 euros a month.

03:57As soon as they find a job, they lose this support.

04:01Most refugees have been granted temporary refugee protection status,

04:06which means they can theoretically work in Moldova.

04:09But finding a job is not always easy, especially as most employers in Moldova

04:14require employees to speak Romanian, Moldova's official language.

04:19Moreover, at about 800 euros a month,

04:22wages in Moldova are about four times lower than the European average.

04:27The Ukrainian House opened in Kisinau in 2024

04:30with the support of the National Congress of Ukrainians in Moldova.

04:34It organizes educational and cultural programs

04:37and Romanian language courses for Ukrainian refugees

04:41and provides advice on jobs and social integration.

04:45The center receives financial support from both the UN Refugee Agency,

04:49UNHCR, and the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF.

04:53Today Moldova is quite attractive to the citizens of Ukraine,

04:59because it is a cultural and cultural environment.

05:03It is clear that many people came to transit,

05:06but then they returned and stayed in our country,

05:09because they like culture, they like people, they like kitchen,

05:13and they are closer to home.

05:14They are closer to home, and they are closer to home.

05:17They are closer to home, and they are closer to home.

05:19But it has been a long time for a long time,

05:21and many people are struggling with their children.

05:24They are closer to home.

05:25For school age refugees, the situation in Moldova is difficult.

05:30There are only two Ukrainian schools in Kisinau.

05:33Lekartev says that most Ukrainian children in the country

05:36have never attended an actual bricks-and-mortar school in Moldova,

05:40and attend online classes from schools in Ukraine instead.

05:44Alina hopes to return to her homeland as soon as possible.

05:48Lekartev says that the world has come.

05:51Lekartev says that Ukraine is living.

05:55Lekartev says that the Ukrainian children have a sleep.

06:01Lekartev says that the most primitive and simple thing is...

06:06Lekartev says that the sleep for children was calm,

06:08Lekartev says that the system has a normal state,

06:11which is destroyed by these three years of war.

06:15and they don't understand what they are doing with their laws.

06:21And they want justice.

06:45In this part, Ina Negruzza says she intends to continue helping, no matter what.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended