2025 tested us. 2026 is calling us to action.

It unfolded in classrooms where languages mixed and routines had to be rebuilt from scratch; in the local communities that became places of dialogue rather than division; in small civil society offices where teams worked knowing that funding might end sooner than planned, but needs would not. It was a year measured less by milestones than by continuity – by the decision, repeated every day, to stay present.

Over the course of the year, this presence took many forms. It meant supporting local civil society organisations that mediate between citizens and institutions, give voice to local concerns, and help rebuild trust in a space often marked by tension and misunderstanding. It meant working with teachers, parents, and children – Moldovan and Ukrainian – to restore learning environments that offer not only education, but safety and belonging.

It meant strengthening social inclusion and protection services so that displacement, disability, or vulnerability would not automatically translate into exclusion. And it meant supporting rural communities and small producers to strengthen local livelihoods, promote more sustainable agricultural practices, and ensure that development reaches beyond urban centres.

These are the stories we invite you to read more closely in our Newsletter — stories of people and organisations carrying out vital work that rarely receives wide attention but plays a crucial role in keeping society functioning.

This work did not happen in a vacuum. 2025 was challenging not only operationally, but morally and politically. Shrinking resources, increased competition for funding, a tense pre-election environment influenced by foreign influence, disinformation and hybrid treats and attracts, and the ongoing war in Ukraine all shaped the space in which civil society operates. In such moments, responsibility becomes heavier.

Responsibility, first and foremost, to the people we serve – something that should never change. But also, responsibility to remain true to what civil society is meant to be. By definition, civil society cannot be managed or controlled by public power, yet it exists to pursue the same objective: the common good. This inherent contradiction is not a weakness; it is a source of tension that must be navigated with integrity. Especially today, in a more polarized and divided society, civil society must stand steady – not serving power, not opposing it blindly, but standing in between. Observing, questioning, and connecting. Acting as a lighthouse in a stormy sea. 

Despite the pressure, 2025 showed that this space can still be protected and meaningfully used. More than 32 000 people – 70% Moldovans and 30% Ukrainians – were reached through People in Need (PIN) programmes and those of our partners in Moldova, across civil society support, education, social inclusion and protection, rural development and agriculture, as well as humanitarian and early recovery assistance. 121 civil society organisations received direct support, while being either PIN partners or grantees, backed by over 1,76 million EUR invested into local capacity, services, and initiatives. These numbers matter only because they reflect something larger: a collective effort to keep civic space alive, responsive, and rooted in real needs.

We enter 2026 clear-eyed, determined, and ready to act. Without illusions – but also without standing still – we are here to continue supporting those who need it most, and those who choose to take responsibility for the space between citizens and power.

Finally, we invite you to stand in solidarity beyond borders. Massive attacks on energy infrastructure have left large parts of Ukraine without electricity, heating, and water – disruptions felt even in Moldova during the last weekend of January 2026. We therefore encourage support for the ‘Warmth for Ukraine’ campaign, led by the Embassy of Ukraine and the National Congress of Ukrainians in Moldova, to provide generators where they are urgently needed. 

Thank you for staying with us – and for reading on.