More than 100 visually impaired children will benefit from better education and rehabilitation treatment after the only specialized kindergarten in Tiraspol has been entirely repaired. This is the result of the joint efforts by EU and UNDP within a larger program of supporting confidence building measures between people from both banks of the Nistru River, IPN reports.
According to a press release of UNDP Moldova, in its 48 years of functioning, the kindergarten No. 44 from Tiraspol has never been repaired until now. The interior and the exterior walls of the building were renewed, the roof was changed, the heating and sewerage systems were replaced, the electric networks were repaired and the doors and windows were changed. All these works were made possible with a budget of €117,600, €10,000 of which being the community contribution. The kindergarten was also equipped with the necessary furniture.
Head of the EU delegation to the Republic of Moldova, Ambassador Pirkka Tapiola, who attended the opening ceremony of the kindergarten, said he was particularly encouraged by the fact that this project has shown local community in action, as citizens have mobilized themselves and contributed together with the EU and UNDP, to the refurbishment of the kindergarten.
“We are very happy that children with visual impairments will benefit not only from good conditions for their education, but also from specialized services for their needs. Such projects contribute to bringing people from the two banks of the Nistru River closer,” said Nicola Harrington-Buhay, UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova.
Currently, there are 40 ongoing social infrastructure renovation projects within the EU-UNDP program. During the last year, 6 social institutions have been renovated in the Transnistrian region. Apart from the social infrastructure renovation projects, the EU-UNDP program provides financial and technical support in four other key domains: business development, civil society development, healthcare and environment protection. The program is implemented during 2012-2015 with a total budget of €10.6 million.