6 students won money prizes for essays on poverty reduction

The contest of student essays “How we can reduce poverty in Moldova” ended with 6 winners and 6 holders of honorable mentions. The I Prize, of 350 USD, was awarded to the student of Technical University, Serghei Susanu. Two II place prizes of 250 USD were won by the student of State Unversity, Olga Patras and the student of the Economical Studies Academy, Dorina Cucu. Other two III place prizes of 150 USD were given to Mariana Bordoniuc from the Political Studies Institute and International Relationships and to Virginia Cocieru from the University of Medicine “N.Testimiteanu”. The essays of the applicant students were examined by an evaluation commission, using the anonymous method; in this way the members of the commission did not know who the authors of the essays are. The winners were selected from a number of 47 contesters. The contest’s organizers aimed at stimulating youth to participate at discussions dedicated to fighting poverty in the Republic of Moldova, especially the analysis of the causes and generation of ideas and solutions for an efficient reduction of this phenomenon. The students expressed their points of view and made proposals on promoting commerce and improving the competitiveness of production, access to education, agricultural, health, infrastructure and other services. The deputy minister of Economy and Commerce, Sergiu Sainciuc appreciated as gladdening the acknowledgement by youth of the fact that the problem of poverty is not only the problem of state but of all citizens and only by joint efforts this phenomenon will be possible to be eliminated. According to the deputy minister, the student’s opinions will be taken into consideration when implementing the objectives of the Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, and after finishing its implementation – in the EGPRSP objectives’ re-actualization process, which started this year and will be of first importance starting next year. The contest will take place within the joint program “Support for the elaboration, monitoring and evaluation of the strategic policies of the Republic of Moldova” of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and its partners – UNDP, UNICEF and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. According to the reports of MEC, the rate of poverty in Moldova decreased from 60% in 2000 to 24% in 2005.