On October 19, our team was invited to Zîrnești village of Cahul District of the Republic of Moldova. The local gymnasium “Ion Creangă” held a celebration of Autumn Fair on the school’s premises. We were given a warm welcome by the school’s headmistress, teachers and pupils alike. Later on, we were invited to a celebratory event, performed by the students dressed in traditional Moldovan attires. The event consisted of performance of national dances, poetry and songs, accompanied by traditional Moldovan music. Caritas Moldova was given a formal sign of gratitude in the form of a diploma, signed and presented by the headmistress – Nadejda Dobînda.

After the celebration everyone was invited to the fair in the gymnasium’s backyard. Teachers, pupils and their parents presented and sold homemade food, beverages and sweets. The meals represented a mix of Moldovan and Western cuisine for every taste to enjoy. The prices, on the other hand were symbolic and thus affordable. All the revenue from the fair was donated to the school’s development.

When the festivities ended, our team was invited to meet the children who attend our caring center. We provided them with laptops donated by the electronics store “Enter”. The children expressed emotions of pure joy and gratitude. When they left, we stayed with a group of teachers and the coordinator of “Speranța” Center, to discuss potential further assistance. They told us about the digitalization programs of Republican schools. Mrs. Dobînda expressed the need of a fully packaged computer class, as well, as in equipment for the course in robotics. She complimented her students’ intelligence and natural curiosity, however accentuated the lack of means to develop their applied skills.

Overall our experience was very positive. We had a wonderful time, enjoying every second of our trip. Caritas Moldova also thanks Caritas Austria for the joint effort of bringing happiness to needy children from the vulnerable communities of Moldova.