"Thank you for this help!" - Natalia and her family, who are hosting refugees, were supported by People in Need and Choose Love
Published: Feb 6, 2023 Reading time: 3 minutes
Since the beginning of the war, thousands of refugees from Ukraine have found shelter with families in Moldova. Among them is Natalia from Mykolaiv, who, together with her daughter and two granddaughters, arrived in Mihăileni, a village in the Râșcani district, at the end of February.
Natalia's hometown was shelled from the very first days of the war, and life there became a living hell, so they decided to leave the town. "It's a disaster - there's no water, and the infrastructure was shelled. Quite a few buildings are destroyed— schools, kindergartens, universities," she said.
In Mihăileni, they were warmly welcomed and found everything they needed to feel safe. Natalia says she was impressed by the way Ukrainians were received in Moldova and by the kindness of the Moldovan people.
Cash support for families who host refugees
Their host—also called Natalia—opened her door and her heart because she could not be indifferent to the sufferings of Ukrainians fleeing the war. "We are humans, and it's good to help each other in hard times," she notes.
Natalia was happy to receive our assistance to cope with the rising costs and expenses. Her husband found out at the local town hall that People in Need, through the organisation Choose Love, offered financial assistance worth 3,900 lei to host families in October.
"This is much-needed help. With this money, we can pay the utility bills. Due to rising prices, we pay more now, although the consumption is the same. We help others and are happy when someone else is helping us," says Natalia.
Natalia's family from Ukraine has been living in a village in northern Moldova for more than eight months. All they want is for this war to end soon and for their home in Mykolaiv not to be destroyed, so they have a home to return to.
"We hope for a quick victory, but we don't know when that will happen. We are counting the days, and of course, we want home. My parents stayed there (in Ukraine), but my brother is with them—men are not allowed to leave the country. I'm a little more at peace knowing that he is with our parents," Natalia says, thinking of her loved ones. However, until the end of the war, she, her daughter and two granddaughters are enjoying the place that has become their second home in Moldova.
Host families in Moldova continue to be helped by People in Need and the organization Choose Love whose financial assistance goes to 394 households hosting refugees from Ukraine. With the money received, families in Moldova can cover the costs of electricity or heating bills and buy more food if needed.
