AFD and Fondation De France to support refugees from Ukraine in Moldova

Strengthening social cohesion and resilience of the Moldovan society in the face of the challenges caused by the arrival of refugees from Ukraine: this is the objective of the joint project of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and Fondation de France. Approved on July 5th, this funding will support three French NGOs in Moldova to continue their action for the integration of the many refugees hosted in the country.

The €3 million project, led by three French civil society organizations Solidarités International, Humanité & Inclusion, and Médecins du Monde, is co-financed by AFD (€2 million) and Fondation de France (€600,000). Focused on building the capacities of local actors and empowering refugees, its objective is to respond to the great challenges of the arrival of many refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, in the medium and long term.

The project will implement actions aimed at:

• Strengthening the skills of civil society
• Strengthening the capacities of primary health services and including mental health and psychosocial support services
• Integrating children into the school system and setting up daycare systems for small children
• Supporting the integration of refugees into the labor market
• Integrating children and adults with disabilities in adapted structures

Nicolas Le Guen, head of the partnership division with civil society organizations at AFD, summarizes the expected impact of the project by the end of 2023 (end date of the project):

“The project will impact 8 primary health care centers, the integration of 2,700 refugee children into the school system or in daycare centers, the support to 150 disabled refugees and will improve access to the Moldovan labor market for 1,000 refugees.”

Moldova is the country in the area which hosts the most refugees per inhabitant, following the war in Ukraine. This project will help to cushion the large consequences that this has on Moldovan society, infrastructure and economy.