Collaboration Lab: Ten Moldovan Organisations Develop Joint Initiatives for Stronger Communities

Between 6–8 May, 2025, Chișinău hosted the Collaboration Lab, a workshop dedicated to civil society organisations (CSOs) from the Republic of Moldova. The event united ten CSOs that are part of the "Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Region" project.

Over two and a half days, participants collaborated to identify common areas of interest and to shape ideas for joint initiatives.

According to Rafał Chibowski, Country Director of People in Need Moldova:

“A very important component of this project is actually that those organisations cooperate together to make people work together for the broader benefit. It’s also challenging for them to connect, to get together, to collaborate.”

The process was guided by design-thinking methods, peer-review sessions, and rapid solution-generation exercises. Activities were designed to foster collective reflection and peer learning, encouraging organisations to step outside their usual spheres of activity and explore new opportunities for cooperation.

Irina Bejan, manager of the Regional Centre for Community Development, noted that the programme has helped the Regional Centre for Community Development strengthen its visual identity, create a website and promotional materials, and, most importantly, build long-term partnerships.

“Our collaboration with People in Need (PIN) has been ongoing for three years, and one of our current projects, which began in December, focuses on developing our website, visibility materials, and a brand book.”

The participating organisations are based in various regions of Moldova and operate across diverse sectors—from youth and women’s inclusion to support for the elderly, people living alone, or those in vulnerable situations.

“We will purchase 16 tricycles for social workers who provide home-based services to isolated individuals, in order to improve access to social services but also to allow social workers to spend more time with their beneficiaries,”

said Viorica Său, manager of the NGO Inovatii Sociale.

Present at the event, Regional Project Coordinator, Sophia Kikvidze emphasised the crucial role CSOs play in shaping sustainable solutions at the local level. “Civil society organisations know best the challenges and needs of their communities. If we want lasting change, we must support their efforts to amplify the voices of the people.”

In the next phase, the organisations will continue to collaborate through joint initiatives; they will have the opportunity to apply for grants under the project’s FSTP (Financial Support to Third Parties) component. These initiatives will focus on mutual learning, sharing good practices, and promoting civic participation.

The Collaboration Lab is an important step in building an active and resilient network of civil society organisations in Moldova—ready to contribute meaningfully to social transformation and the country’s alignment with European values.

“It’s a pleasure to see how Civil Society Organisations are empowered to become active members of a modern state and society and to continue participating in policy making and decision making,”

stated Martina Spernbauer, Team Leader for Governance at the EU Delegation to Moldova.

“Resilient Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Region” is a regional project developed by People in Need, funded by the European Union and co-funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic under the Transition Cooperation Programme.