A.O. Homecare groups located in 23 villages that receive A.O. Homecare support and services in addition to the main offices in Chisinau. Two villages have been provided with laundry facilities in a building outfitted with laundry equipment for the village and patients to use. LDS Charities supplied disinfectants, cleaning supplies and other cleaning items are either distributed to the elderly/patients or are used by volunteers to use while visiting the elderly/patients to clean, cook and provide services in their homes.
Toma Ciorba Medical Center is a medical center for infectious diseases. Besides COVID they mentioned tuberculosis is rising.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worked with Toma Ciorba Medical Center in the year 2020 providing mask, gloves, disinfectants, protectant gowns, liquid soap, and medical coveralls.
The project LDS Charities is working on now is providing
Infusion Medical Stands, lobby benches, and medical cabinets.
They send the products to about 28 villages base upon need
identification from local pastors and priests. The pastors, or priests gather
volunteers from their Parish and distribute to the goods to the people.
Father Aga and
his wife, Diana took us to the Romanian (Moldovan) Orthodox Church where he is
the priest.
On the same property they are completing a home supporting the homeless and mentally handicapped along with disadvantaged youth.
The home is located on the property with the church. It is a 4 story building in progress.
The 3rd level is a large sewing area where people can come and learn to sew.
A company from Germany donated the sewing machines and other sewing related
items such as worktable and embroidery machines. The people learn to make
uniforms, ties, pillows, embroidered shirts and dresses, etc. They sell these
locally to pay for more materials. They do not make a profit, the money goes
back into the materials, thread, upkeep of machines, etc.
The stairs were not finished, nor were the woman’s shelter rooms and bathrooms, and the main floor for the children’s room and youth room.
They have volunteers from their church to help in the home doing laundry, collecting clothes, distributing clothes, feeding the homeless and cleaning. Their vision is to help others to learn skills to get jobs at other places. They see a lot of youth who are unable or otherwise restricted to go to school. Their vision is help them learn skills for when they must support themselves.
Society
of Large Families in Moldova: Founded in 2001 this organization is an NGO in Balti that
serves approximately 120 families with large families (1,100 persons) per year.
These families live within the area of Balti and surrounding villages. These
families are particularly vulnerable because it is difficult to earn a wage in
Moldova that will support large families. Often the children cannot go to
school because they don't have money to buy clothes, shoes, and school
supplies. Also, with large families it is difficult to provide their own food,
hunger is not uncommon.
In 2018 they partnered with LDS humanitarian aid and received bales of winter clothes and bedding to help support these families. The Church provided 100 pairs of winter boots and provided training to to families to sew their own clothes. LDSC provided 3 sewing machines, cloth and notions and paid for an instructor to teach them. They have 8 volunteers who receive no payment to help distribute the goods. They provide food kits once a year. They provide their own transportation and storage facility.
The Phoenix Centre has provided for children who have been
hidden away for years with learning and physical disabilities. The facility is
a repurpose kindergarten school. It has several large rooms, handicap
facilities, handicap playground equipment, ramps everywhere and an elevator, a
sensory room, a physical therapy room with equipment, and teaching rooms.
Additions have been added on with senior living apartments, kitchen and dining room. The senior living apartments are rented out to provide for the disability center. LDS Charities provided a metal roof for one of the buildings in 2016.
The home built a new pool for therapy of their disabled
children. LDS Charities provided a pool pump/heater. The project started in
2019, but because of COVID it was put on hold and then they lost a contractor,
so now it be in use on September 19, 2021 when they are holding an open house.
They have 28 disabled children that attend day school. The organization provide to and from transportation from the children’s homes. They generally see about 900 children for physical therapy per year, in an outpatient capacity.
“If we could dress one more family in warm clothes…if we
could outfit one more home with proper windows or running water; if we could provide
one child with sufficient food, with medical care, we would have Made A
Difference.” (MAD-aid)
Founder: Vitoria Dunford CEO
She has a book out that tells the reader about her adventures in starting this home in Riscani, Moldova called, "Get Mad"
The trip to Moldova was very successful and gave us an opportunity to visit with some old projects, new projects, and the partners LDS Charities have worked with over the years.
As far as Moldova goes, we were very impressed at how nice the people were. We met many people and became instant friends, even though some of them we didn't know their names.
We found Moldova to be charming and unique.
