UNICEF has donated a batch of protection and hygiene products for personnel of Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance Services, children with hearing impairments and children with special educational needs from 35 districts, including ATU Gagauzia, IPN reports.

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research said the consignment includes over 10,000 face masks with a clear mouth window, over 1,000 liters of disinfectant and over 4,000 gloves.

Minister of Education Lilia Pogolșa said the children with hearing impairments communicate also through sign language. “For them, it is very important to see and articulate sounds with the assistance of lips. This is possible only through the agency of masks with clear window,” stated Lilia Pogolșa.

For her part, UNICEF Representative in Moldova Maha Damaj said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the limitation of child exposure to the virus and ensuring of safe conditions for study, adjusted to the needs of each child, are very important.

“UNICEF Moldova supports the education system of the Republic of Moldova in a number of ways. During the pandemic, so as to ensure the continuity of studies, UNICEF offered education packages for children with disabilities and protection and hygiene products for schools, kindergartens and personnel of specialized services,” stated the official.

The education packages contain books, notebooks, school suppliers, games and other items and will be offered to 163 children aged between 4 and 15 for preventing school abandonment.

The donation forms part of the COVID-19 Response Program that is financed by USAID and the Global Partnership for Education and is implemented by UNICEF Moldova. The project is part of the US$2.2 million assistance offered by the U.S. Government through USAID to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Moldova.