Build an environmental training center in Moldova

“In seven days I learned more than in two years of school.” “I wish I could just stay here the whole summer.” These are the words of students who participated in summer youth programs at EcoVillage. Thank you for helping to create a place where young people blossom. A place that invites curiosity and wonder, and where we find the sweet spot between intentional facilitation and unstructured time in nature.

A highlight from this summer was a service week with carpentry students from Moldova and Germany. They worked across cultural and language barriers to build a new playground for the village. It was during a late night game of Uno that one of the Moldovans told me he wanted to stay here for the summer. He said that he felt valued by the facilitators in a way that made EcoVillage feel safe. 

In July, we were thrilled to welcome back activEco, a long-running EcoVisio program. The group of budding climate activists came for a week of connection with nature and inspiration; afterwards, EcoVisio provided mentoring for community initiatives. The seminar coincidentally took place during a heat wave, underscoring the importance of climate action. But the heat didn’t stop the teens from forming tight bonds - so tight, in fact, that they squeezed 10 people into a room one night, talking and playing the guitar into the early morning before walking to watch the sun rise over the lake.

This fall, we’re making these types of experiences more accessible to our local community. While we’re proud of our national reach, sometimes the kids in our backyard don’t know how to apply for or are passed by these programs. That’s one reason why we’re running a series of trainings specifically for students in the cluster of villages near us. You can find out more about the project on the EcoVillage website. 

Thank you for your support, and for making it possible to give our rural youth a safe space to learn and build friendships that will last a lifetime.

For our current project:

$55 covers participation of 1 youth in a full day of training sessions 

$45 covers a snack for 15 youth during an after-school training in their village

$35 covers accommodation for 1 youth during a 2-day training

$20 covers facilitation of an after-school training session

$10 covers transport for 2 youth to come from a neighboring village

Links:

• Learn more about our current project