Thirteen girls of the Placement Center for Children with Disabilities based in Hâncești will be offered support for leaving independently in the community. This became possible owing to a project that was launched on September 24 with the assistance of the Irish Foundation Siol. The project is implemented by the public association “Partnerships for Each Child” and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, IPN reports.

Within the project “Supporting girls with disabilities placed in residential institutions to be cared for in family, educational environments and safe communities”, houses will be bought in the community and by three-four persons with disabilities will be placed in these. With the assistance and under the guidance of the community social worker, the persons with disabilities will learn to be independent, to take care of the home and to interact with neighbors and villagers. The value of the project is €500,000.

According to secretary of state at the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection Viorica Dumbrăveanu, the rights of the persons with disabilities should be respected. These should form part of society and the Republic of Moldova is committed to achieving the given desideratum.

Siol Foundation president Eduard Dunne said Ireland is a model of success in the deinstitutionalization of persons with disabilities and it will be making every effort for the disabled persons in Moldova to be fully integrated into society.

There are 200 girls at the Placement Center for Children with Disabilities in Hâncești. The goal of the National Program for deinstitutionalizing the persons with intellectual and psycho-social disabilities is to deinstitutionalize about 60% of the beneficiaries of the residential system so that they live independently in the community.