Moldovan community benefits from alumni visit

The charity pairs together a UK family and one in the Eastern European country through an individual sponsorship arrangement. A Moldovan social worker visits the family each month and advises the British sponsors on what the money is most needed for. The aim is to help families stay together and reduce the number of instances where parents are forced to put their children into orphanages because of their circumstances.

In the past Emma and her sister have raised money to pay for building repairs and day trips for the local orphanage. In May she and three other University friends, Kym Brooks, Lydia Kinsey and Jonathan Rollo-Walker, took part in a sponsored walk along the length of the River Thames to help fund materials for a special trip to the country itself.

“In the past we’ve always linked people together which has proved really successful but this is the first time we have taken a group out to Moldova to work there ourselves,” said Emma. “We did that this summer and the trip was really inspiring.

“It was a great success both for the volunteers and the people we helped. We’re hoping to go out there again in the near future.”

A group of 16 people, including Emma and the three other Exeter graduates Jonathan Rollo-Walker, Laurence Morton and Verity Palmer, carried out repairs on five homes during their visit there – including plastering, painting and cement work. They also created a playroom in the local school, visited the orphanage and ran a summer camp for disadvantaged children.

Visit the website to find out more about The Moldova Project.