ADVANCE: Alleviating Domestic Violence in Moldova

Over the past two years, the ADVANCE project has helped Moldovan women escape the cycle of family violence and empower themselves toward a better future. “Elena,” a mother of seven, exemplifies the courage and perseverance it takes to move forward. After enduring years of physical and emotional abuse in her home, Elena discovered that there are services available to women like her. After a training in her village carried out by one of ADVANCE’s Mobile Technical Teams, Elena began to access legal and psychological assistance provided by the project. Through repeated sessions, she regained her self-confidence and learned to prioritize her own well-being, as well as her children’s.

One of the effects of years of abuse was that Elena did not feel she could do anything on her own, that she always needed her husband to survive. She soon learned about ADVANCE’s entrepreneurship courses and jumped at the opportunity to become self-sufficient. After the course, she went on to develop a business plan and won an in-kind grant worth about USD 500 to start her own sewing business. She said that this success has helped her to trust her own abilities and feel truly independent. Now, Elena lives with her children separately from her husband, and her business is getting off the ground.

As the ADVANCE project comes to a close, we thank you and all of our donors who contributed to the empowerment of so many women like Elena. Over the course of the project, more than 400 survivors of domestic violence and women at risk accessed psychological or legal assistance, and expanded their economic prospects through job readiness or entrepreneurship training. Our Mobile Technical Teams reached almost 900 people in 26 villages. The project has also reached about 1,150 young people through peer-to-peer sessions addressing gender roles and stereotypes, as well as providing tools for violence mitigation and prevention. Among these young people, 120 have gone on to conduct their own prevention activities in their communities.

On behalf of Winrock and our partners in the ADVANCE project, thank you for your support. While the problem of family violence may persist in Moldova, we are confident that the communities and individuals who participated in ADVANCE are equipped and committed to addressing this serious issue now and in the future.