How we create safe spaces to help children in poverty flourish

A child affected by domestic violence finds friendship and support at our community centre

2nd November 2024

“We were very anxious all the time”: growing up in fear

Elenuta, 15, who lives in Cantemir, Moldova, still bears the scars of terrifying episodes from her childhood.

Her parents divorced when she was 10 and she hasn’t seen her father since. However, there is still fear in her eyes when she thinks about the difficult times her family went through. 

Elenuta said, “My father was usually drunk and annoyed by everything. We were very anxious all the time. He mistreated our mother and hurt her.”

Alcoholism and domestic violence are widespread in Moldova, where one in four deaths are associated with alcohol abuse.

Moldova has the highest levels of alcohol consumption in the world and the highest death rate linked to drinking.
Mission Without Borders

Finding a safe space at after school club 

At school, Elenuta felt inadequate and isolated.

She said, “When I went to school, my classmates ignored me. I didn't have friends.”

Everything changed for Elenuta when she was invited along to Mission Without Borders’ after-school club. Thanks to her sponsor, she found a safe space here at the community centre – somewhere free of fear, and where she instead found acceptance, support, and love.

“It was like a different world,” she said. “Everyone was very friendly. My brother and I got to have a warm meal, we did our homework, we played there.”

“It feels like home here”

“When I started coming to the centre, I seemed to forget about my problems, and I got help with my schoolwork,” Elenuta said happily. “We even talk about what jobs we might do. Here they helped me to aim for something, to focus, to love maths.

“It feels like home here and I have lots of new friends. We spend time together, eat together, do our schoolwork, help each other.”

Once crushed by the weight of problems at home, Elenuta is now a confident and happy teen, thanks to child sponsorship.

Children living in vulnerable communities in Moldova need a safe space where they can grow and learn, and fortunately Elenuta found just that.

Sponsor a child today and help us create life-changing communities for children like Elenuta.