Olena’s stand-up paddle board club, a refugee success story in Moldova
Olena Prysyazhniuc’s journey from a refugee to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to how passion and hard work can transform lives. Adapting to life in the Republic of Moldova Originally from Vinnytsia, Ukraine, Olena worked at the Vinnitsa City Council, where she coordinated a program dedicated to the socialization and integration of ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone) fighters, widows, and returnees from conflict zones, including people with disabilities and serious injuries. Olena has been living in the Republic of Moldova for over two years with her two daughters and...
Moldovan Soprano Valentina Nafornița, UNHCR High Profile Supporter, Advocates for Refugees in Strasbourg
Strasbourg, June 21, 2023 – In honor of World Refugee Day, Moldovan soprano and UNHCR high-profile supporter Valentina Nafornița was invited by the Council of Europe to deliver a keynote address and a captivating performance. This event was part of the Council of Europe’s 75th anniversary celebrations and Refugee Week 2024, which included various events organized by the City of Strasbourg and the Association Foyer Notre-Dame. Having become a high-profile UNHCR supporter last year, Nafornița emphasized the crucial role of solidarity in supporting refugees. “Solidarity is the...
From Odesa to Moldova: Anatolii and Taisia’s Path through Displacement
Taisia, aged 71, and Anatolii, aged 74, share a remarkable life journey that transcends the challenges of displacement. Their story began on the dance floors of Odesa, where Anatolii took a chance and approached the beautiful Taisia. Their connection deepened, leading to a happy marriage and two children. Their life in Odesa turned into turmoil when Russian Federation launched their full-scale invasion in Ukraine. Faced with the escalating situation, Anatolii and Taisia’s children, concerned for their parents’ safety, convinced them to seek refuge in the Republic of Moldova. In...
Empowering Voices: UNHCR’s Participatory Assessments 2023
Every year UNHCR and its partner organizations, hold meetings where refugees of all ages and backgrounds can share their experiences and concerns as part of the Participatory assessment (PA). This includes separate discussions with different groups, like women, girls, boys, and men. These talks help UNHCR and everyone involved in the Refugee Response to understand the challenges forcibly displaced and stateless people face and find solutions together. This approach empowers communities to work together for their protection, forming the basis for a rights-based and community-based approach....
A journey of resilience: A mother-daughter tale of hope
It’s a cold Tuesday morning in Causeni, a city in the eastern part of the Republic of Moldova. Oxana, 45, and her daughter Polina, 6, are on their way to kindergarten. “Come on love, keep up” Oxana says. They are accompanied by Dima, a dog that usually hangs around the Refugee Accommodation Center where they live. “Polina named the dog after one of her friends in kindergarten here in Moldova” Oxana says. “Now he follows us everywhere!” she laughs. Much like other refugees who left Ukraine due to the full-scale war initiated by the Russian Federation in February 2022, Oxana and Polina...
A refugee’s dream: „sit outside, see the trees and breathe”
Vova is the eldest of three brothers, with whom he grew up in Odesa. A few years ago, after celebrating their last day at school, Vova and his classmates went to the seaside in Odesa. The then 14-year-old decided to jump off a cliff into the water, a decision that would change his life forever. On 1 June, 2015, on Children’s Day, Vova had his first spinal surgery. The boy would spend four more months in the hospital undergoing various procedures. “I brought my personal belongings to the hospital. We felt like we had moved there,” his mother Irina recalls. Now 22,...