Children and families in Cahul receive greater support through the renovation and equipping of a crèche group

Children in Cahul will benefit from improved care and early childhood development conditions following the renovation and equipping of the “Steluțele” crèche group at Kindergarten No. 9 “Scufița Roșie”. The newly upgraded space provides a safe, child-friendly and inclusive environment for children, while parents, especially mothers, will have greater support to return to work or seek employment. A total of 20 children from the community, including refugee children from Ukraine, will benefit from the improved conditions.

The launch event brought together parents, educators, and representatives of UN Women, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, local public authorities, and the media.

Kindergarten No. 9 “Scufița Roșie” in Cahul welcomes around 250 children, including refugee children from Ukraine, while the “Steluțele” crèche group is currently attended by 6 children. UN Women equipped the crèche group with furniture, equipment, teaching and learning materials, toys, and other educational resources. The total investment in equipping the crèche amounts to approximately MDL 290,000 (around USD 16,000).

UNHCR renovated both the classroom and sleeping area, with new flooring and wall tiles, replacement of sewage pipes, doors, and installation of new kitchen furniture equipped with a sink. UNHCR’s investment amounts to approximately MDL 763,000 MDL (around USD 44,000).

“Through investments like these, we aim to support children’s early development and their access to quality care services. At the same time, expanding crèche services creates more opportunities for women, especially mothers, to enter or return to the labour market. Access to such services directly contributes to women’s economic empowerment by providing them with greater autonomy and the opportunity to continue their professional path,” said Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Country Representative in the Republic of Moldova.

“This space represents an essential investment in early childhood education, providing a safe and inclusive learning environment for children from both local and refugee families and contributing to their integration into the community,” said Katja Saha, UNHCR Representative in the Republic of Moldova.

The renovation and equipping of the crèche in Cahul contributes to national efforts to expand childcare services under the National Programme “Childcare Services for Children up to 3 Years Old”, which was launched by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in 2023. The programme aims to increase families’ access to early childcare services and create enabling conditions for parents, especially mothers, to return to the labour market.

UN Women and UNHCR have worked closely with local authorities to expand crèche services across Moldova. So far, UN Women has supported the renovation and/or equipping of 15 crèche groups in Chișinău, Cahul, Căușeni, Glodeni, Nisporeni, Rîșcani, Sîngerei, Trușeni and Ungheni, and established four child-friendly rooms in public institutions in Chișinău. UN Women’s total investment in these efforts exceeds USD 130,000. UNHCR has also renovated and equipped seven crèches across Moldova, including in Chișinău, Bălți, Strășeni, Ialoveni and Cahul, with contributions of over USD 360,000.

“Early childcare services are essential for children’s well-being and for supporting families. The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, together with development partners, is making sustained efforts to expand these services. We appreciate the support of partners who contribute to the development of such essential services, helping build more inclusive and child- and family-friendly communities,” said Aliona Crețu, Head of the Demographic Policy Division at the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

“The modernization of this crèche group is good news for children in Cahul. This space will provide them with better conditions for care and early childhood development. We appreciate the support of the partners for this important investment,” said Nicolae Dandiș, Mayor of Cahul.