UNICEF Moldova

The Alternative Forum Theatre troupe from Fălești arrived yesterday in Orhei 🎭, eagerly awaited by about 100 students from grades VI–VIII and their teachers at Alecu Russo Theoretical Lyceum 🏫. As usual, the teenagers presented different situations inspired by real school life, addressing stigma and discrimination against children with disabilities ♿️, with special educational needs 🧩, refugee children, and ethnic minorities 🌍. The performances are participatory: students step on stage, propose alternatives 💡, practice interventions against bullying and discrimination, while also learning to use respectful language 🗣️ and to safely report cases of violence. 🤝 The #UNICEF team and the Norwegian Embassy Office in Chisinau – Kamilla H. Kolshus, Head of Office, Anna Wågen, Development Officer, and Sander Elias Nordeng, intern – visited Orhei, watched the students’ performance, and discussed with them the challenges they face and the ways they act to overcome them. The social theatre performances are part of the campaign “Learning Together,” launched by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova together with #UNICEF, with the support of the Government of #Norway, and implemented by AO Dialog Alternativ, to promote educational inclusion and to support the implementation of the National Programme for Inclusive Education 2023–2027. The initiative, launched in March 2025 🗓️, will reach 60 schools across 10 districts. The youth team from Dialog Alternativ has already visited 40 institutions, and students’ confidence that they can intervene in cases of #bullying has increased from 50.8% to 87.6%. A big thank you to all the teachers and students from Orhei for their involvement and for the courage to say “no” to stereotypes and bullying 🙌. Together we make school safer and more #inclusive for every child 💙.

💧 1 in 4 people still lack access to safe drinking water - this is the stark reminder from the new UNICEF–WHO report. Despite progress, billions are left behind, especially those in vulnerable communities. The report, “Progress on Household Drinking Water and Sanitation 2000–2024: Special Focus on Inequalities,” reveals persistent gaps in access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), especially for people in fragile and low-income contexts, rural communities, ethnic minorities and Indigenous groups and women and adolescent girls 📊 Key facts from the report:   • 2.1 billion people still lack access to safely managed drinking water;   • 3.4 billion people lack safe sanitation;   • 1.7 billion still don’t have basic hygiene facilities at home;   • In fragile contexts, access to clean water is 38% lower;   • Girls and women are disproportionately affected, often bearing the burden of water collection and facing barriers during menstruation. With only 5 years left to reach the Sustainable Development Goals, this report is a wake-up call. Accelerated action is urgently needed to deliver on the promise of clean water and dignity for all. 🌍 🗣️ As Cecilia Scharp, UNICEF’s Director of WASH, reminds us: “When children lack access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, their health, education, and futures are put at risk. The promise of safe water for every child is slipping further from reach.” 🔗 Read more and explore the full report:   https://lnkd.in/dzM57AjV  #WASH #CleanWater #Sanitation #HumanRights #ClimateResilience #LeaveNoOneBehind #WaterIsLife #GirlsAndWater 

At the beginning of September, #UNICEFMoldova and KfW Development Bank visited several communities to monitor the progress of the project “Strengthening National Social Services for Vulnerable and Refugee Children”, funded by the Government of Germany with an €11.5 million grant. 📍 In Cimișlia, Gura Galbenei, and Javgur, we explored how rural families are gaining better access to early childhood and disability support services. In southern Moldova, we assessed the construction of the second Barnahus Centre 🏗️, a safe space for #children who are victims or witnesses of abuse. In Ceadîr-Lunga and Cazaclia, we checked upgrades to school sanitation facilities, ensuring children have access to safe water and #hygiene. 🚰 Together with teachers 👩🏫 and medical staff 👨⚕️, we discussed achievements and next steps to ensure every child in Moldova has access to #education, protection, and healthcare in safe, inclusive environments. These results are possible thanks to the continued support of the German Government and our shared commitment to building a better future #ForEveryChild. 💙

☕ This morning we gathered for the third edition of the Business Breakfast with members of the Business Advisory Board (BAB) – an initiative through which UNICEF strengthens its partnership with the private sector in the Republic of Moldova 💙 We value the active involvement of partner companies in developing and implementing #UNICEF programs that reach the most vulnerable children. Together with Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative in Moldova, and Luminita Arama, Partnerships Officer, UNICEF Moldova, today’s edition also brought together: Alphan Akpece, Acting President of the Foreign Investors Association (FIA) Moldova, Groza Ana, Executive Director of FIA, Carolina Bugaian, Ph.D, FCCA, CIA, PMP, President of Moldcell and the EBA Moldova (European Business Association), Alexandru Gozun, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Moldova, Olga SURUGIU, CEO of Orange Moldova, Macar Stoianov, Vice President of the Management Committee, Financial Division, maib, and Doina Fetco, Marketing Director, maib. 💬 The discussions focused on innovative solutions and future directions: from business policies and the integration of ESG principles through the lens of children’s rights, to educational programs and STEAM initiatives, as well as projects aimed at strengthening communities by improving childcare services through public–private partnerships. 🤝 👶 Children’s rights are everyone’s responsibility, and collaboration with the business community shows that together we can create real and sustainable change #ForEveryChild. Check out the key BAB priorities and 2024–2025 results at this link: https://shorturl.at/TC4Ci #BusinesswithPurpose #PartnershipsThatMatter

👩👧👦 From fleeing war to healing others - Olga’s journey from fear to hope.  “One morning in March 2022, at 5 AM, I looked at my two children and asked myself… Which one do I grab first to run for shelter?” – Olga, a mother from Ukraine. Forced to flee the war, Olga found #safety in Moldova. But her journey didn’t end there. Today, she’s not just rebuilding her life; she’s helping others do the same. As a psychologist at the Divertis Center, managed by AO AVE COPIII and supported by the EU in Emergencies - EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid, Olga now provides emotional #support and guidance to refugee children and their families. For her and for every child who walks through the doors, the Divertis Center is more than a #safe space.  It’s a path to healing, learning, and believing in the future again 💙  🌍 When we invest in people like Olga, we don’t just respond to crises.   We build resilience, hope, and new beginnings. Thank you to our dedicated partners, psychologists, social workers, and every helping hand who support children in moments that shape their lives 🙏  #UNICEFMoldova #WithRefugees #EUHumanitarianAid #ChildProtection #MentalHealth #HumanStories #AVEcopiii #EveryChild #Hope #Resilience

🍂 October is #DownSyndromeAwarenessMonth – a moment to remind ourselves that #everychild has the right to grow up loved, accepted, and supported – without #discrimination. 💙 Children with Down Syndrome have the same dreams, hopes, and potential as any other child. With access to health services, inclusive education, and support from their communities, they can thrive and follow their passions. 🤝 Together with our international #partners, local authorities, and implementing organizations, we promote inclusion and support #programmes that provide children with #disabilities – including those with Down Syndrome – with access to #therapies, quality #education, and a future full of #opportunities. Let’s join forces to ensure every child grows up in a world where they are accepted just the way they are 🌈 #ForEveryChild #Inclusion

💙 “I know my child’s development is slower, but here I can already see real improvements” – Victoria, mother of Elisei, a 1-year-4-month-old boy diagnosed with #Down syndrome. At the Early Childhood Intervention Centre in Cimișlia, every small step is a great victory. Elisei is learning to sit, while Amelia – a little girl diagnosed with #autism and ADHD – has started singing, dancing, and discovering the world with #confidence. For parents, this Centre means more than #therapies. It offers #hope, psychological #support, and the reassurance that they are not alone. 🤝 Thanks to our partners - the Government of Germany, via the German Development Bank KfW, and in partnership with Lumos Moldova and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova, we have opened two Early Childhood Intervention Centers in Cimișlia and Fălești. Five Child Development Offices have been established in each of the two districts, located within the Rural Health Centers and Family Doctors' Offices. Here, children with developmental delays receive personalized therapies, and parents find encouragement and strength to move forward. 👉 Read the stories of families from Cimișlia: https://shorturl.at/S1Wsm #ForEveryChild #EarlyDevelopment #ECI #UNICEFMoldova

🔵 "Investing in education means investing in the future."  That’s the message brought by Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Equity, Youth, Culture, and Sport, during his recent visit to Onisifor Ghibu Theoretical Lyceum in Orhei. 🇲🇩 The school is part of Moldova’s Model Schools Network 🏫 and currently hosts over 1,200 students and teachers from Orhei and nearby communities. 🧑🎓👩🏫 Thanks to the support of the European Union and under the programme “Promoting Quality Education and Lifelong Learning Opportunities for All”, implemented by #UNICEFMoldova and UNDP Moldova, the school has undergone major renovations and is now equipped with modern physics, chemistry, and biology laboratories. 🧪 ♿ And there’s more to come:  In 2026, accessibility upgrades will begin including the renovation of access paths, the main entrance, shared spaces, and the Inclusive Education Resource Centre, so that every child, including those with limited mobility, can learn in a safe and welcoming environment. This is part of a broader effort spanning 2024–2027, with a total investment of €10 million, aimed at modernizing Moldova’s educational infrastructure and advancing the digital transformation of learning. 📚 Together, we’re building schools where every child has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. 💙 #EducationForAll #InclusiveEducation #ModelSchools #InvestInEducation #ForEveryChild #SocialImpact #ChildRights 

In Moldova, #Romafamilies often face challenges in accessing essential services - not because these services don’t exist, but because trust is missing. In the latest episode of UNICEF’s podcast The ABCs of SBC, Stratulat Cristina, our Social and Behaviour Change Officer, shares how cultural respect and community leadership made the difference 🤝 👩👧👦 By engaging trusted Roma #leaders, such as Barons and community mediators, UNICEF helped families overcome hesitancy around childhood #vaccinations - ensuring children could enroll in school and fully integrate into their new communities. ✨ Cristina’s story shows that when solutions are rooted in trust and local leadership, #change becomes possible, even in the most marginalized settings. 🎧 Listen to the full podcast here: https://lnkd.in/d_wYJdsK You can also access it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, as well as a handful of other streaming services (such as Amazon Music and Deezer). #ForEveryChild #SBC #Inclusion

When parenting meets innovation - a new partnership between #UNICEFMoldova and Bombonici, a local children’s clothing brand, is bringing expert advice closer to families across Moldova. 🤝  Through this collaboration, parents visiting Bombonici stores now have quick and easy access to #Bebbo, UNICEF’s free mobile app designed to support families in raising children from birth to age 6. 📲 Available on Google Play and App Store, Bebbo offers reliable, expert-validated guidance on health & nutrition, early learning & development, emotional well-being, positive parenting, and even pregnancy preparation. In every Bombonici store across the country, you’ll find information about the app, and store staff are ready to assist you in downloading it 🛍️  Together, we’re turning store visits into moments of learning and support. Because every parent deserves confidence. Every child deserves a healthy and happy start. 💙 Thank you, Bombonici, for being part of this journey toward smarter, more supported parenting in Moldova. #BebboApp #ParentingSupport #EarlyChildhoodDevelopment #DigitalInclusion #Bombonici