Bringing snowflakes of joy and cheer to Ukrainian and orphaned Moldovan children this Christmas

Nothing in this world is more wonderful than watching a child’s grin and heartfelt reaction when he or she receives a gift. It feels like a recollection of when we were children and used to wake up early in the morning on Christmas Eve.

Though Ukrainian children separated from their parents and Moldovan orphans have different perspectives on the same early Christmas Eve morning.

Since December 2023, within the “Lifesaving assistance and winterization for refugees and crisis affected host communities” project supported by World Vision Canada, 322 winterization and 289 educational items were distributed in 28 districts of Moldova.

“Through this initiative, we are reaching out with life-saving help and winter support for both Ukrainian refugees and vulnerable Moldovan communities”, shares Michel Gerges, World Vision's Cash Voucher Program & Food Project Manager in Moldova.

The project aims to make a difference in the lives of those facing crises, offering essential assistance during the cold season. As part of this effort, World Vision Ukraine Crisis Response (UCR) in Moldova is extending its support to orphaned and family-separated children. 

During these moments, I saw in the eyes of these innocent children, the reflection of all the gratitude and thankfulness in the world. It’s a sensation that refills us and increases the desire to do ten times better than we are doing now. 

“Through winterization and educational kits, we’re providing warmth, comfort, and educational resources to 300 children,” adds Gerges. 

The packages were delivered to the Directorates of Social Assistance and Family Protection, some were donated to temporary placement centers, and others were handed to orphaned children through their legal representatives, like in the instance of Ion, Ilie, and Xenia.

Their delight was obvious from the moment they received the well-packed white boxes. Especially for Ilie, who was overjoyed to get the bag he had longed for, containing school supplies with pens, pencils, and an encyclopedia that would help him better understand the world in which he lives.

His eyes welled up with genuine excitement as he realized he would finally be able to wear warm shoes throughout the terribly cold winter days.

“The distribution of winterization and educational items for the most vulnerable children created indescribable emotions for me,” shares Cristina Lelic, World Vision’s field assistant.

“During these moments, I saw in the eyes of these innocent children, the reflection of all the gratitude and thankfulness in the world. It’s a sensation that refills us and increases the desire to do ten times better than we are doing now," she concluded.

“These items are more than just some shoes for them; they also convey the fact that people care about them. It’s also about how it makes them feel,” pointed out Ana Macovenco, World Vision’s field assistant. 

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, World Vision has reached more than 753,000 children in Moldova, Ukraine, Romania and Georgia.

As part of the winterization program for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova, World Vision is identifying households that require support, and initiating distribution of unconditional cash assistance, reaching more than 119,000 refugees, which account for 2.1% of the total 5.8 million Ukrainian refugees across Europe.

Story and photos by Dan Munteanu, Communications Officer