Juvenis - support for vulnerable students from Republic of Moldova

Period of activity: 2018 – 2020

Partner: Roman Catholic Episcopate "Divine Providence", Chișinău;

Purpose: supporting young students from vulnerable families in Moldova to facilitate their access to education in higher education institutions in the country.

Beneficiaries: 10 young women from socially vulnerable families, aged between 18 and 25;

Donor: Porticus;

The project contributes to ensuring the right to education with general development for young women from socio-economically disadvantaged families in Moldova, facilitating their access to education in universities.

With the valuable support of donors, we are developing a community in which like-minded people want to make a positive impact, focusing on empowering young people to change their society through education.

Education increases people's living standards in economic, social and health terms. This project aims to help increase enrollment and graduation rates, especially for needy girls; and to mobilize, create and form a community network to support girls' education.

Caritas Moldova offers accommodation for 10 students (girls) in the residence "Juvenis", and activities designed according to the needs of the target group, to ensure the right of young people to education, safety, health, decent living standards and guarantees intellectual, social and in line with the SDG 2030 and key national adult protection policies.

Intervention in critical stages can significantly reduce the risk of disadvantaging young people. For example, facilitating the accessibility of socio-economically disadvantaged young people to higher education and appropriate accommodation contribute to the social inclusion of young people. The evidence also suggests that cultural and creative activities, violence prevention programs and justice services can support active citizenship among young people. Within the project, group and individual psychological meetings were organized focused on the development of strategies and healthy resilience skills in the face of pressures, crises, exceptional situations.

To develop social activism and make them more responsible, the young women were involved as volunteers in various volunteer activities. 14 young women learned to share common spaces and to connect social interactions and friends, to cook independently, to keep the living space and clothes / personal things tidy and arranged. 6 of them have developed and implemented a mini project, in which they offer free English language, painting and aerobics lessons to students from socially vulnerable families.