Eastern Europe
Whether we’re responding to the fallout of war, supporting families as they access new sources of income, or helping communities use renewable energy technologies, our programs in Eastern Europe share the same mission: to build a world where everyone has food, voice and a safe place to call home.
Through programs in Moldova, Bosnia and Serbia, we are providing safe spaces for refugees from all around the world. In Moldova, our response focuses on Ukrainian refugees and ensures they have access to education, psychosocial support and basic needs like food and shelter.
One of the most marginalized groups of people across Europe is the Roma. Roma children are often born into a cycle of poverty and inequality that can follow them for their whole lives. Through programs for Roma women and children, we are helping them break this cycle of generational poverty.
In many rural communities in Eastern Europe, families face various kinds of poverty through food insecurity and energy limitations. To combat these challenges we are inviting communities to participate in our Renewable Energy program where they can learn how to use alternative energies. Participants can also receive livestock to help overcome hunger and diversify their income. Through these programs, families are installing greenhouses, starting their own businesses and building brighter futures.
Together, we will move closer and closer to accomplishing our goal of building a better world for all.
Catching Up With an Old Friend in Georgia
“I live in the village of Kheta in the western part of Georgia,” says Tamar Chumburidze. “I am a mother of three and have two grandchildren. We all live together and our main source of income is a small plot of land where we grow [bay] laurel trees, vegetables and fruit for sale. The income we make is hardly enough to make ends meet and cover basic needs.”
Tamar’s story is all too common in her remote, rural community. Many of her neighbors, especially women, struggle to find jobs or earn a living. There’s also another challenge for families here that compounds everything else: a lack of energy sources. Every day, women and children in particular have to try to find firewood or other biomass that they can burn to heat their homes and cook meals. It’s simply too expensive to try to use gas or electricity to meet even these basic needs.
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Latest Updates
Through War and Time: The Enduring Spirits of Ekaterina and Sofia
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, CWS has expanded its support to reach some of the country’s most vulnerable populations. Through the Caring Hearts project, we’re partnering with local organizations to provide essential aid and emotional support to older adults living in remote villages of Odesa Oblast. In the quiet corners of Ukraine’s Odesa Oblast region live two …
Warmth, Comfort and Hope: How Winterization Support Helped Irina’s Family Through Uncertainty
When war forced Irina to flee Ukraine with her two grandchildren, she became their sole caregiver in a new country, carrying the weight of both survival and hope. Thanks to the CWS winterization project, Irina’s family found comfort, support and a reason to believe in brighter days ahead. A Grandmother’s Brave Decision Before war broke out in Ukraine, 58-year-old Irina …
From Despair to Hope: Olena’s Journey Through War, Illness and Recovery
When the war in Ukraine upended Olena’s life—costing her a job, threatening her home and worsening her health—she found hope through the CWS-supported “Support for Women and Children During the War in Ukraine” project. With legal, medical and emotional support from our local partner, Positive Women Odesa, Olena regained stability and began building a brighter future. A Life Turned Upside …