Updated: How to Help Refugees in Moldova

March 3 2022

This is an updated donation page. For the original post with some context on the situation please see this post.

An updated Moldova Matters post is coming in the next few hours.

Financial Donations

First and foremost money is needed. Large international donors are preparing support in Moldova coordinated by the UN. But the majority of the work on the ground is being done by volunteer groups, NGOs, business associations, and other civil society actors. Unfortunately, Moldova has never adopted paypal, online card processing or other modern (aka early 2000s) financial systems. It is challenging to send money to NGOs directly from outside Moldova. Here are 2 groups acting as donation hubs who will be working to distribute money collected from international donations to NGOs in Moldova:

Friends of Moldova NGO

Donation Page for Friends of Moldova 501c3

The Friends of Moldova NGO is one of many “Friends of” NGOs created by former Peace Corps Volunteers to support their former country of service. As a former volunteer myself I coordinate with the team leading Friends of Moldova and they have setup a donation page accepting paypal and debit / credit card payments.

Donations to Friends of Moldova are directly coordinated with the Peace Corps Moldova and Moldova Small Enterprise Alliance donation center being run out of Smokehouse restaurant (basically - the author’s restaurant). They go directly to supporting logistics, material needs (food, bedding, personal hygiene supplies, etc) and other needs of refugees.

I served with all of the volunteers behind this page and am working directly on the ground to coordinate spending. I personally vouch for this money getting to the right place.

Moldova for Peace Crowdfunding Group

Follow this link to donate - information available in English (scroll to bottom)

The Moldova for Peace working group has created a crowdfunding page. They are directly collecting funds to support the efforts that they are coordinating. From their page:

How will the money be spent?

The funds will be used to cover the needs of refugees and people crossing the border during the war period: drinking water, tents, sleeping bags, mattresses, toilets, power-banks, tea, baby food, etc. A part of money will cover the costs for the functioning of the „Moldova For Peace” volunteer group (fuel travel to the border, etc.).

I personally know the team behind this page and spent most of yesterday working with Moldova for Peace. They are doing great work.

Moldova World Children’s Fund

Moldova World Children’s Fund is a North Carolina-based 501C non-profit organization that has been active in Moldova for more than 20 years.  Over its long history in Moldova, MWCF has implemented numerous assistance programs and infrastructure projects in health, education emergency relief and much more.  In the wake of the invasion of Ukraine and the looming humanitarian crisis, they have reallocated a large portion of their resources and effort towards the refugee relief effort.  They have warehouses, transportation and a team on the ground capable of implementing the assistance and are currently coordinating their efforts with the Moldovan government.  They are receiving U.S. tax-deductible donations through their website at 

https://moldovawcf.org

/ and can also receive contributions through the North Carolina-Moldova Bilateral Partnership Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/524181444772869.

Hope4 Donate Ukraine

Link to their fundraising campaign here.

From their website

Hope4 is on the ground in Moldova supporting Ukrainian Refugees, by providing emergency aid and support.

Every single penny we raise is spent on the purpose it was given and not a single penny is spent on admin or salaries. 

I have been in contact with the director of this group and they are doing great work.

Help Ukrainian Conflict Refugees Survive Winter

Donation Links Here

Help Ukrainian Conflict Refugees Survive Winter is a relief effort organized through a U.S. NGO offering relief and assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Moldova and, where possible, inside Ukraine.  

This effort is raising money to support the work of the following NGOs:

Footprint Project.  Footprint Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit disaster service organization that focuses on providing cleaner energy access to communities in crisis. We work across the disaster management cycle to deploy sustainable technologies where they are needed most.  

https://www.footprintproject.org/

 

SmartAID.  SmartAID is an international, not-for-profit, aid agency which uses high and basic technological systems and innovative tools to exponentially improve the efficiency of traditional humanitarian & long-term sustainable aid. 

https://www.smartaid.org/

Ministry of Finance Special Donation Account

Link to facebook post with account and routing information

The Moldovan government has also set up a special account where you can donate directly to refugee relief. Please note that only wire transfers are possible due to the banking limitations mentioned above.

Material Donations / Volunteer Support

If you are on the ground in Moldova and are looking for ways to support there are a lot of needs for volunteers, housing for refugees and more.

Please note: the authorities ask that no one go to the border points and drop off donations without being cleared by the working group or other official representatives. There are too many people there already and it is critical to send goods to the place they are most needed.

SOS Moldova Ukraine / Moldova Facebook Group

This facebook group is working on matching of capacities to needs. They are very involved in finding housing for refugee families as well as coordinating some volunteering work. Most information is in Russian.

AIM Accepting Donations

The Moldova Small Enterprise Alliance (AIM) has begun a collection drive accepting donations for refugees. This effort is being supported by Peace Corps Moldova. Donations are being accepted and warehoused at Smokehouse restaurant and will be transmitted to organization at the direction of “Moldova for Peace” or directly to Ukrainian families staying in the city.

• Diapers and things for small children

• Blankets

• Warm clothes in good condition

• Food products - nothing that needs to be cooked, refrigerated or expiring quickly

• Old cell phones in working condition (families that lost phones in the crossing have already requested used units)

For a more detailed list please see this google document

As the President of AIM and the owner of the restaurant that used to be Smokehouse (and is now a warehouse of donations) I can say this will all get to the right place. Peace Corps has been extremely helpful in leveraging their institutional knowledge to help AIM compile donation lists and to assure that we are gathering the right things.

Government Donation Centers

The Moldovan government is coordination additional donation centers at the following 4 locations:

• Moldova-Film, at Hincesti Highway, 61

• Moldexpo at st. Giocheilor, 1

• Technical University of Moldova - st. Student, 9/7

• Palace of Railwaymen - st. Decebal, 2.