Alisa and Her Son Timur: Finding Refuge and Hope in Chișinău

Before starting to share her life story, Alisa’s graying hair was disheveled as she ran her hand through it. Olesea Chircu, a psychologist at the UNFPA/Homecare “Safe Space” in Chișinău’s community center, listened carefully, capturing every nuance in her voice.

“War starts easily, but it’s so hard to end,” said Alisa, a 38-year-old woman from Voznesensk, located 80 km north of Mykolaiv, a city bravely resisting Russian aggression. She came to Chișinău with her 6-year-old son, Timur.

Russian soldiers, tanks, and military equipment passed by their home, leaving fear and destruction in their wake. They spent days hiding in basements without electricity or water. A few days later, they were offered a green corridor for a few hours. Women and children fled the dangerous part of the city, but Alisa’s parents remained behind.

“Odessa seemed safer, but that safety was relative,” Alisa recalls with a trembling voice. “A missile exploded near our house, and when panic set in, we decided to leave Ukraine without knowing where we were going.”

Their final destination was Moldova. The country and the city welcomed them with open arms, better than they could have imagined. Repeated anxiety, danger, and fear kept them from returning to their loved ones back home.

At the Chișinău Community Center on Gheorghe Casu Street 32, within the UNFPA/Homecare “Safe Space,” Alisa and Timur found the peace and warmth they desperately needed. Olesea Chircu provided the emotional support they needed to cope with the trauma.

“We are grateful for everything, especially how we were welcomed at this center,” said Alisa. “The food is excellent, and the room where we are staying is clean and comfortable. The people of Moldova have been incredibly kind and helped us feel safe.”

This is just one of the many stories of those forced to flee the war, seeking refuge and hope in a world torn by conflict. Every day, at “Safe Space,” Olesea Chircu and her team work to provide comfort and show that these people are not alone in their struggle.

This activity is part of the “Improving Access to Essential Health and Protection Services for Refugees from Ukraine and Host Communities” program, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Moldova) in Moldova and funded by the European Union.

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