Support for Refugees in Palanca

After a year and a half, the refugee triage camp for Ukrainian refugees in Palanca, Ștefan Vodă district, which provided a wide range of services offered by Moldovan NGOs and international organizations, has ceased its activity. However, a few organizations remain active, including the “Safe Space” in the neutral zone of the Palanca customs point, managed by AO Homecare in partnership with UNFPA. This space has provided crucial support to Ukrainian women refugees, addressing vital issues such as gender equality and protection against gender-based violence.

In varying weather conditions, from snow to scorching heat, the psychologists and social workers of the “Safe Space” offered consultations on essential topics, providing psychological and emotional support. Since February, they have also started distributing hygiene kits to the most vulnerable refugees, along with sanitary products and consultations on diverse topics, including legal assistance for temporary protection status and access to financial aid.

For the past year and seven months, Marina, a 37-year-old woman from Kherson, along with her 5-year-old son, has built a new life far from their home in Ukraine, where her parents and husband remain. Although the distance and longing complicate each day, Marina has found the strength to endure this separation. Assistance came in many forms, but the most valuable support was provided by the “Safe Space” at Palanca, which gave her the necessary information and assistance upon entering Moldova. Additionally, Marina needed support in caring for her son, and she received help from the doctors at the Mother and Child Institute in Chișinău, who eased her fears and provided valuable advice for her child’s care.

This experience strengthened her belief that, despite all the hardships, there are places and people ready to offer help and compassion.

These examples demonstrate the remarkable efforts made in Moldova to support Ukrainian refugees, offering not only material assistance but also emotional and psychological support.

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

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