More than 12 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine after the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022. Thousands have taken refuge in Romania and Moldova.
After our initial emergency response, we are supporting a group of unaccompanied Ukrainian children in Romania with professional care and support.
WORKING ON 'THE EDGE' IN MOLDOVA AND ROMANIA
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WHAT WE ARE DOING TO HELP
The war in Ukraine has caused serious trauma and unspeakable loss. We have been supporting refugees since the conflict began in 2022, responding to the needs of refugees on the ground as they have evolved.
IASI CHILDREN'S HOME
Using our significant experience in working with children without parental care in Romania, our support now is focused on a group of 28 children from Ukraine who arrived in Romania after their orphange in Ukraine was bombed.
Our partners have been working with the Child Protection Department in Romania to house these children in a refurbished building, along with their carers.
The children take part in activities and receive Romanian language lessons to help them integrate in the local schools.
We are providing a social worker and psychologist to ensure the children can access the right support. The children also attend group therapy and play therapy.
Our partners have been working with the Child Protection Department in Romania to house these children in a refurbished building, along with their carers.
The children take part in activities and receive Romanian language lessons to help them integrate in the local schools.
We are providing a social worker and psychologist to ensure the children can access the right support. The children also attend group therapy and play therapy.
Grygoriy iceskating in Romania
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Grygoriy’s Story
Grygoriy*, who has just turned 18, was taken into care as a teenager as his father, who is an alcoholic, was not able to look after him or his older sister, and they had no other family they could stay with. Grygoriy and his sister fled to Romania, with the other children from the Ukrainian orphanage. It took him a long time to adapt to life in Romania but he has worked closely with the social worker and psychologist at the children’s home to help him feel settled and safe. As Grygoriy was approaching his eighteenth birthday, the team had been helping him prepare for his future, providing him with career advice and helping him to access vocational courses in digital skills and English language lessons. They said, “Grygoriy is very bright, but found it hard to integrate and think about a future in Romania, since he has felt more settled, he is positive and excited to talk about what he would like to do in the future.” *names have been changed to protect the children’s identities.
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YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
As a small charity, with a big reach we are grateful for every penny we receive, and are committed to spending your donation where the need is greatest. For every pound spent by Children on the Edge, 89p goes directly to our international programmes.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE
In Romania and Moldova, we began working with local partners in February 2022. In the initial stages of the conflict, we were providing accommodation in transit centres as well as food and other emergency supplies.
Emergency food provisions for refugees in Romania
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As the conflict continued, in Romania, the needs of refugees changed, our work evolved from an emergency response into supporting refugees in the city of Iasi as they settled into a longer term stay:
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The Community Hub offered a vital safe space for refugees to gather
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We are now focused on supporting a group of unnacompanied children from Ukraine, who fled to Romania after their orphanage in Ukraine was bombed. They are living in a refurbished children's home in Iasi, giving them a safe space to learn and play, with access to trained professionals to support their mental well being.
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In Moldova, we have been supporting the Speranta centre in Chișinău, the Moldovan capital, which provides accommodation for refugees who are in transit or need to stay on a longer term basis. The centre hosts around 10-20 people and welcomes those who are unable to find accommodation at other refugee centres. Many families arriving at the Speranta Centre have complex health needs and the centre has strong contacts with local hospitals so is able to quickly and efficiently help refugees access the medical assistance and support they need from health professionals. |
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We have a long history of working in the region, it's where we began in 1990 and worked until 2012 with local partners.
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When we spoke with Iryna she was tired. She hadn’t slept as she knew her home city of Zaporizhzhya had been under attack the night before.
“I still want to go home” says Iryna, “I wait for it everyday”. Iryna is a marketing professional who fled Ukraine with her nine year old daughter and her parents in February 2022, when it became too dangerous to stay. She's now living in Romania and does some freelance work for a local marketing company. She said it took her a while to accept that she would need to try and make something of her life in Romania. |
Her family benefited from the Day Centre we supported in Iasi. Her daughter loved the activities that were put on and her father learnt to speak Romanian. Iryna told us how much positive impact this had on him. She said: “Many older people are scared of going out as they don’t know the language. My dad can now go to the shops and do errands around the city. It has given him his confidence back.”
YOU MIGHT LIKE
MEET MARIUS DIRECTOR OF OUR PARTNER ORGANISATION IN ROMANIA
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READ THEIR STORY: FOUR FAMILIES ESCAPE FROM UKRAINE
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READ ABOUT OUR HISTORY IN ROMANIA
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READ ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM UKRAINE ON OUR BLOG >>
CAN YOUR BUSINESS SUPPORT US?
Is your company looking for a way to support refugees in the wake of the devastating conflict in Ukraine?
We are grateful for the generous support from some brilliant businesses across the UK who are fundraising for our Ukraine Appeal through their sales. You can join them and make a a positive difference, whatever your size.
Work for Good helps charities with this and businesses can set up the necessary legal agreements for sales fundraising in a matter of minutes.
Find out more at Work for Good or contact [email protected] to talk to a member of our team.
We are grateful for the generous support from some brilliant businesses across the UK who are fundraising for our Ukraine Appeal through their sales. You can join them and make a a positive difference, whatever your size.
Work for Good helps charities with this and businesses can set up the necessary legal agreements for sales fundraising in a matter of minutes.
Find out more at Work for Good or contact [email protected] to talk to a member of our team.
