November 28, 2024
News
Poor sanitation, water scarcity, low water quality, and inadequate hygiene practices can have severe consequences for young children. These issues also negatively affect the health of school-aged children, who spend long hours in school. With financial support from the European Union, Caritas Czech Republic has launched a new initiative in Moldovan schools to improve water and sanitation facilities for students and school staff, while also raising awareness about proper hygiene practices.
Many schools in Moldova lack basic sanitation facilities
Imagine going to school without access to clean water or proper hygiene facilities. For thousands of children in Moldova, this has been a daily reality. Thanks to support from the European Union and Caritas Czech Republic, things are starting to change. A study carried out by UNICEF and Moldova's Ministry of Education and Research highlighted the urgent need for better water, sanitation, and hygiene systems in schools, providing a roadmap for meaningful improvements. The new initiative is working to improve water and sanitation facilities in 25 schools in Moldova, ensuring that students and staff have access to clean water and proper hygiene. Beyond upgrading facilities, the programme will also focus on teaching better hygiene practices, creating healthier and safer environments for children to learn and grow.
Based on the evaluation results, 2 schools were already proposed for collaboration agreements and are planned to receive the necessary support. The two institutions are the Gymnasium Cobusca Nouă from Cobusca Nouă village, Anenii Noi district and Gymnasium Dimitrie Cantemir from the city of Glodeni.
We met with the school director from Glodeni city to find out what are the students and school staff’s expectations from the initiative.
“Currently, the school bathrooms lack the necessary utilities to meet the students' needs, this initiative was long expected. By having the school sanitation systems renovated, we aspire to create better hygienic conditions for all 232 students, 9 of which are students with special educational needs and the teachers,” shares with us the director of Gymnasium Dimitrie Cantemir, Djeta Vasilos.
“We also hope that this renovation will contribute to an increase in the number of pupils, bringing children from nearby neighbourhoods,” adds Mrs. Vasilos.
We also met with the mayor of the village of Cobusca Nouă, who mentioned that this initiative has been warmly welcomed, as the 110 pupils currently attending the school do not have access to proper sanitary conditions.
"We are very happy to participate in this programme. Through this programme, we aim first to install the necessary sanitary facilities for students with disabilities. The 61 boys and 55 girls are eagerly awaiting better sanitation conditions, so they can enjoy a peaceful education process without the constant worry of inadequate or malfunctioning bathrooms," says Mr. Draguțan, the mayor of Cobusca Nouă village.
The initiative includes an awareness campaign on proper hygiene practices, which school staff are keen to support.
“Furthermore, we look forward to the upcoming lessons on the importance of personal hygiene. Finally, I would like to mention that the students' parents are also eager to see their children have access to proper hygiene facilities,” the mayor added.
Caritas Czech Republic in Moldova
Along with this endeavour, Caritas Czech Republic has taken a step towards improving the sustainability and efficiency of water resource use by introducing an innovative initiative to use rainwater as an alternative water source in Moldova. During 2024, a system for capturing, filtering and storing rainwater for domestic use will be built in the kindergarten Albinuța in the village of Bilicenii Vechi, Sîngerei district, with the involvement of Czech and national experts.
Both programmes are not just about building better facilities but also, about protecting the health and future of children, especially in rural areas where access to these basic needs is most lacking. By addressing these basic needs, children can focus on what truly matters: learning and building brighter futures.
Caritas Czech Republic opened supported housing and home care centres in Moldova
In Moldova, Caritas Czech Republic also focuses on support to people with disabilities. In 2023, we have opened two Supported Housing units in Glodeni and Soroca. These facilities have become homes for people with mental health problems, who received support in integrating into the community, developing communication skills and finding employment opportunities. We also trained 6 recovered people with their own experience of mental health problems to become peer supporters and supported them to be employed in community mental health services.
Caritas Czech Republic has also opened 11 home care centres in Moldova. In addition to social support, these centres also provide health services. For many elderly people, a check-up with a doctor is physically and financially demanding. Thanks to financial support from the Czech Development Agency, we have introduced telemedicine services in 8 health centres across Moldova. As part of this development, 24 medical and social workers now provide consultations and care services for the elderly and those in need of long-term care.
