Justice and Human Rights Moldova, Republic of Project #55848

Help keep the Ukrainian refugee center safe.

by Peace Winds Korea

Help keep the Ukrainian refugee center safe.

Project Report | Apr 13, 2023
The refugee center manager's three concerns

By Nuri Park | Intern

Dear all,

This is Park Nuri from Peace Winds Korea and I would like to share some information about the Patria Lukoil Refugee center that our team visited in April with our valuable donors.

Currently, the center is home to 79 people, including 46 adults and 33 children/adolescents, most of them are from Odessa, the port city of the Black Sea. Approximately 80% of the adults work at gas stations, kindergartens, NGOs, etc, while 20 children attend a local kindergarten.

The building used to be a movie theater but had not been maintained for nine years, so repairs were needed for the electricity and water facilities. Meanwhile, a computer room has been set up inside the center with the support of another organization, although it is not currently being used much due to the cold weather. Additionally, volunteers from the International Organization for Migration visit every day to provide psychological counseling from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., which has been a great help to many of the refugees.

A center manager is in charge of almost all tasks including sending children to kindergartens and contacting the city hall when there is a power outage. She explained that the final goal of this center is to ensure that refugees can live at the same standard as ordinary Moldovans. She takes great pride in working at the center, and it is clear that helping refugees is more than just a job to her.

The manager has three concerns that need to be addressed. Firstly, there is a lack of supplies, and the center is will stop to be supported supplies at the end of April due to budget issues. Secondly, there is a cleaning issue, as the refugees have to do the cleaning themselves since the center lacks the budget to hire cleaning worker. However, most of them have a main job, so cleaning is not being done properly. Lastly, there is a safety issue, as the center has previously been targeted by people who harbor negative feelings towards Ukrainians. Due to budget problems, the center cannot afford a security guard, and there is no male manager after 4 p.m., which is concerning for the safety of refugees.

The refugees are eagerly waiting to return to Odessa, but their hometown has been destroyed by ongoing Russian attacks, making it difficult for them to return. Therefore, Peace Winds Korea decided to support this center until the war ends.

We kindly ask for your attention and support so that we can provide a better life for these refugees.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Park Nuri

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Apr 6, 2023
Life at the Ukrainian Refugee Center

By Nuri Park | Intern

Hello,

This is Nuri Park from Peace Winds Korea, and I would like to share some news with you. From April 1st to 3rd, we visited the Ukrainian Refugee Center located in Kishinev, Moldova.

The center used to be a movie theater but has been repurposed into a warehouse, restaurant, and living quarters for about 75-80 Ukrainians, mainly families. The facilities are old and sometimes leak, but the residents have decorated their rooms with plants and dolls.

They do not suffer from severe shortages of basic necessities such as food and supplies due to their relatively small number, but they have expressed a desire to stock up on as much as possible to prepare for the uncertainty of how long their situation will last.

Children are left at the refugee center when adults leave for work, and there are not many activities for them, nor are there any adults to take responsibility for their education. Many parents worry about their children's education, but fortunately, managers occasionally bring games to play with the children.

Ukrainian refugees face the challenge of integrating into Moldovan society, which could be difficult due to language and cultural differences. The need for Romanian language skills could pose a high barrier for refugees. Peace Winds Korea plans to support refugees in receiving education, finding jobs, and participating in social activities to help them integrate into Moldovan society.

The most difficult challenge for the refugee center at the moment is a lack of personnel. The workload of the employed personnel is high due to the insufficient number of personnel, and their relatively low wages make it difficult to hire social workers. There is also a shortage of funding to hire new personnel, so refugees are doing all the cleaning and security work themselves.

Despite the challenges, most refugees hope to return to Ukraine, although it seems unlikely that the war will end soon and their lives will return to normal. Nevertheless, they live each day with hope, building solidarity and encouraging each other, and preparing for the coming spring.

Thank you for reading.

Best regards,

Nuri Park.

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Mar 30, 2023
Ukrainian Refugee Psychotherapy supported by PW

By Nuri Park | Intern

This is Nuri Park from Peace Winds Korea.

I'd like to share a story in the Ukranian refugee center supported by Paece Winds with our invaluable donors.

As the Ukrainian war has continued for more than a year, psychological therapy for Ukrainian people has become an important issue. According to one research company, 7% of Ukrainians experience mental stress and anxiety. In addition, at the end of last year, the Ukrainian First Lady announced the start of a "government program for mental health and psychological support," stating that Ukrainian national mental health management is urgently needed.

In this situation, Peace Winds is dedicated to treating refugees and local people, partnering with R2P (Right to Protection), a Ukrainian NGO.

The R2P Mobile Team

The R2P mobile team consists of lawyers, psychotherapists, coordinators, and visits shelters and homes where domestic refugees are located. They conduct therapeutic conversations, counseling, and more. However, in Ukraine, it is difficult to encourage people to receive counseling, as they are often considered people who receive counseling as "weak people" Therefore, they organize gatherings of 10-20 people to share similar experiences and connect them to individual counseling. They also deliver support supplies to people “outside shelters” who have difficulty receiving timely assistance.

Refugees often struggle with different languages and cultures because they suddenly were displaced to different areas. Children may show problem behavior or increase sibling conflicts. Additionally, refugees who have left their families behind due to health problems in the war zone worry about them. Psychological therapy is not only necessary for refugees but also for local residents who live in refugee areas. Even though they did not experience the bombing directly, they often have lost loved ones such as family or relatives, making it difficult to accept the situation of living with refugees.

If the war continues, the psychological burden on refugees and local residents is expected to increase. Peace Winds are planning to provide continuous psychological therapy in cooperation with R2P in refugee areas.

Peace Winds will continue to work to help Ukrainian refugees return to normal life.

Thank you for your ongoing interest and support.

Best regards,

Nuri Park, Peace Winds Korea.

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