CRS Work in Moldova

Poverty, domestic violence and rampant emigration are causing young women in Moldova to grow up without the resources or guidance necessary to build a life for themselves. Given this lack of support, young women become extremely vulnerable to trafficking. To help empower these women, facilitate their transition out of poverty, and reduce their vulnerability to trafficking, Catholic Relief Services implements several job training programs.

Trainings in Sustainable Livelihoods help vulnerable women build a balanced and sustainable life. The program aims to develop the personal, social and financial skills of a strong, independent person. Young women meet in small groups with a facilitator to discuss transitioning into work and how work affects their families and relationships. In the groups, women build a social support system, learn to deal with finances and design an action plan customized to each woman's individual needs. The program operates as a school-based extracurricular activity and in weekend seminars. The U.S. Department of Labor and the Austrian Development Cooperation are primary funders.

Employment Generation projects provide young Moldovan women with opportunities to become leaders in their own lives. The underlying principle behind these projects is that income alone is not sufficient to keep a young woman out of poverty and reduce her vulnerability to trafficking. In partnership with local businesses, women receive paid training that leads to guaranteed employment as seamstresses, bank tellers, cashiers and bookkeepers. The primary donors to these projects are the U.S. Department of Labor, the Austrian Development Cooperation and the Argidius Foundation.

CRS Moldova implements a variety of Social-Pastoral programs in conjunction with the Diocese of Chisinau (Kishinev) and Caritas Moldova. These projects help Catholic parishes meet the needs of their communities. One example is a youth toy workshop for street children in Transnistria. The children receive a hot meal and make wooden toys that they can then sell for pocket money. They also use the toys for puppet shows in a local orphanage. Other examples include the construction of two activity centers and a summer camp that encourages volunteerism among young people. At the heart of these projects is the idea of parish social ministry, whereby priests and laypeople engage their community members for social change.