December 7, 2023
News
19-year-old Tudorița Burduniuc is passionate about medicine and human connections. As a student at the Medical College in Bălți, Moldova, Tudorița goes beyond her medical books and stethoscope, dedicating time for the common good. Together with 80 fellow youths, Tudorița participated in an initiative by Caritas Czech Republic that engaged young individuals in the community and built bridges between generations. She shared with us her motivation for joining this initiative and the experience she gained from interacting with her peers.
Caritas Czech Republic selected 80 young individuals, aiming to motivate them to get more involved in the community and build connections with elderly people. You are one of the young people chosen for this initiative. How did you learn about this project, and what motivated you to join these activities?
I am a volunteer at the Rebeca home care centre at Bălți, Moldova. That was where I found out about the initiative and about Caritas Czech Republic's intention to form 8 youth groups. Since every interaction with people brings a new experience for me, and each day is an opportunity for my personal development, I didn't hesitate and firmly stated that I wanted to join the youth group from Bălți.
During the initiative, you engaged in diverse meetings, which included encounters with individuals from different age groups. How was this experience, and what valuable lessons did you learn?
Years are just labels applied by people that divide us. I was very interested in participating in intergenerational meetings because I wanted to communicate, gain experience and wisdom from the older generation and learn new things. During intergenerational meetings, I learned that every word has value and brings commitment and that every day is worth living beautifully.
What is the relationship between young people and elderly people in your community? How do you think it could be improved?
Unfortunately, these relationships are rare in our community. Daily routines and hectic schedules create a gap between generations, leaving little time for regular meetings. But I believe that by raising awareness among young people, we can bring people of all ages together. The difference between us is just in numbers, but the soul remains the same regardless of age. It's crucial to realise that with time, the years will progress, and the current older generations will be us.
How can young people contribute to improving the quality of life for elderly people?
The desire to help can do beautiful things. Young people can contribute by getting involved and forming teams to provide daily assistance and support where needed. Each day can be a contribution to the well-being of others or elderly people because they often only need a kind word and human presence.
You also participated in the awareness campaign on social activism. What were people's reactions when you explained to them what social activism means?
First, we learned how to independently lead an awareness campaign. Then we went on to promote social activism ideas and explain why it is important to have active citizens in the community. However, people reacted with timidity when we explained to them what social activism means. There, I realised that there was still a lot of education needed in society to clarify complicated terms and develop a collective understanding of the importance of social activism.
What challenges do young people in your community face, and how do you think they can be overcome?
Young people in my community lack self-confidence and opportunities for communication and interaction. These are major challenges. However, solving them depends on the willingness of young people to get involved, educate themselves, and find emotional satisfaction in everything they do.
During the initiative, you also met with local authorities. How were these interactions, and what proposals do young people have for local authorities?
The voice of young people must be heard. Young people matter as much as other generations. Authorities should provide more room for dialogue with young people and support them through education and professional training projects. Only an educated and empowered community can build a more solid future.
What skills or knowledge do you consider essential for a young person involved in community development?
An engaged young person must possess effective communication skills, be open to collaboration, understand local issues and have a desire to seek innovative solutions. Knowledge about decision-making processes and leadership skills can also be extremely useful.
How do you think the experience gained in this initiative will help you in the future?
Any experience helps me to form a clear vision of the environment in which I live. In the future, I hope to use the lessons learned from this initiative for the benefit of my community. The main lesson I take with me is about the importance of communication. Communication has always been and will always be the main branch of human development.
Tudorița Burduniuc's experience demonstrates how important dialogue and solidarity between generations or communication with authorities are. It repeatedly emphasises that every individual, regardless of age or experience, has something valuable to offer to the community.
