March 23, 2022
News
For almost a month now, Moldova has not stopped receiving war-torn people. According to official data, nearly 5% of the country's population now consists of Ukrainian refugees who have decided, at least temporarily, to stay in Moldova until things return to normal. Caritas Czech Republic supports the refugees and provides them with shelter, hygiene supplies and more.
I have no idea what to expect from the future
Most of the refugees are accommodated in placement centres across the country. People are grateful for the support they have found here and for the helping hand that Moldova - a small, modest, but welcoming country - has given them.
At the placement centre from Călărași we met Anastasia. She has two daughters and came to Moldova from the village of Mirnoe in the Odessa region. Anastasia tells us that her husband and parents are still in Ukraine. She regularly manages to talk with them by phone. “If I get an alert on my mobile phone, I immediately call my husband or parents. At first, I couldn’t reach them at all. They didn’t answer my calls. Finally, they managed to let me know they were okay. Every day they tell me with horror how the missiles are flying over them. There were bombings even yesterday. People are depressed. I have no idea what to expect from the future,” says Anastasia.
Anastasia and her children will stay in Moldova until they can safely return home.
I left everything behind…
At the same placement centre, Tatiana and her children are also staying. She came to Moldova on February 24 from Odessa, the day after the Russian invasion began. The woman says she left the house in a hurry, leaving everything behind. “I quickly packed my things. I put only what I managed to gather in the suitcase. I took the children, got into the car and left, not knowing where we were going,” Tatiana recalls the harrowing moments of her escape from Ukraine.
When she and her children arrived at Moldova’s customs, the queue of refugees was very long. “It was the same at gas stations. Gasoline was nowhere to be found,” Tatiana continues. “... I left everything behind. Things, house, dogs… My father-in-law stayed at home, he takes care of everything now. My parents also decided to stay in Ukraine. They couldn't leave their house, but we left everything behind,” Tatiana says with tears in her eyes.
Another family – but the same fate. Natalia along with 11 members of her family fled the bombing. Until now, they lived in the town Bucha, a suburb of Kiev: "I saw some giant helicopters through the window. They were practically flying over our roof. On the horizon, I could see missiles being fired from these helicopters and how they exploded once they hit the ground. There was thick smoke everywhere. It was an unreal disaster. "
Natalia doesn't know if her house resisted the bombing attacks. She added that on the day they fled the city, her neighbours, who were following her by car, were killed by the projectiles that hit their cars.
Caritas Czech Republic supports refugees in Moldova
Similar stories to those of Anastasia, Tatiana and Natalia have more than 100,000 refugees who are staying in Moldova today.
Caritas Czech Republic supports all these people who have been unfairly evicted from their homes.
Thanks to the efforts of Caritas Czech Republic, Anastasia can put her daughters to sleep in a real bed purchased for the Călărași placement centre. Tatiana and other families can wash the children's clothes in the washing machines that equipped 5 placement centres across the country, and each member of Natalia's family will have a warm blanket at night without having to share it with others.
Throughout these days, together with colleagues from the Homecare Association, Caritas Czech Republic distributed essential medical kits to the refugees who crossed the border point from Otaci and Palanca.
Usually, crossing Palanca’s border is associated by Moldavans with a trip to the sea, to Odessa. This time, the picture was different - many desperate and obviously tired refugees in need a medical support or a word of encouragement.
A snippet phone call from a mother and her daughter, who is still staying in Ukraine, has triggered our emotions and overwhelmed us:
„My daughter… Where are you? Are you still hiding in the subway? .. Are they still bombing? ... We're fine, we've arrived in Moldova. There is peace and quiet… There are a lot people helping us… I have not been able to take the medicine, but there are volunteers who offer it for free. I accepted their help … I pray for you to stay alive… I hope to see you later… I love you ”.
During the day, people's despair began to dissipate. The refugees understood that they would not be left alone and they would receive support wherever they chose to go.
Human solidarity has no borders and we will continue to express it.
