Six nongovernmental organizations were chosen winners of the 2020 Small Grants Program out of 23 competitors. The program supports and promotes active aging in Moldova. The winning projects will be implemented during four months and a sum of over 283,000 lei was allocated from the state budget for the purpose.
Alexandra Socol, executive director of the public association “Andromeda” based in Țareuca village of Rezina district, which is one of the winners, has told IPN that the association intends to promote handicrafts, such as carpet weaving and pottery, with the won 36,000 lei. As the elderly people in Țareuca are active, they even created an initiative group called “From Heart to Heart”. This group of volunteers becomes actively involved in community life, supports the elderly people, communicates with mates, measures their blood pressure, takes part in public debates. Most of the volunteers are women older than 60.
“As they remain alone, they feel the need to become involved and be appreciated. That’s why they help those who are in difficulty or in situations of risk, the persons who are confined to bed. They should be useful to society as they have a rich life experience and many of them are craftspeople. Among the volunteers are young people and communication between generations is thus ensured. The Association has 30 members,” stated Alexandra Socol.
Contacted by IPN, the founder of the Chisinau Philanthropic Foundation “Open Gates” Natalia Grigorjevschi-Braga said they aim to engage ten elderly persons in work, to create an inter-generation communication environment and to improve the psychoemotional state by creating sewing workshops at temporary placement centers.
According to Natalia Grigorjevschi-Braga, when reaching retirement the persons, being out of work, feel that they are not useful. Their organization aims to offer them the possibility of applying their professional knowledge in the communication with children, including with children from placement centers, and of earning some money this way. “There is a close connection between the active life of elderly people and their emotional state as they feel well only if they are useful.”
Grants were also won by the public association Cultural Association “Veselia” of the municipality of Chisinau, Public Association “Ecologie pentru Sănătate” (“Ecology for Health”) of Ungheni, Public Association “Casa Părintească” (“Parental Home”) of Palanca, Călărași and Public Association “,Nufărul” of Rezina.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection has launched the fourth Small Grants Program to support and promote active aging in Moldova this January
