The "Sphere" Handbook was launched by a group of NGOs and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 1998 and has been republished several times, the latest edition, in 2018, is the only one translated into Romanian. Each revision has taken place following sector-level consultations with affected people, non-governmental organisations, state governments and UN agencies. The resulting standards and recommendations are evidence-based and reflect the experience of over 20 years of field testing by practitioners around the world.

What "Sphere" is and what the structure of the handbook is, its usefulness and principles - participants learned at the training on 26-27 April. The 4 core chapters represent the ethical, legal and practical foundation of humanitarian response, and 4 technical chapters include minimum standards in key response sectors:
- Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion (WASH)
- Food security and nutrition
- Shelter and settlements
- Health.

The SPHERE training was conducted by Caritas Moldova and the International Organization for Migration Moldova and funded by the International Organization for Migration Moldova.