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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Climate-Smart Technologies in Georgia
If you step foot in the countryside in the Republic of Georgia, you will likely notice the luscious greenery, magnificent mountains, and diverse vegetation. Unfortunately, the changing climate threatens many people’s way of life in these regions. Driven by their love for their communities and our environment these small rural towns are part of the movement to protect not only …
Staying in the Place Called Home
In communities like Ghorjomi, Georgia, the environment has been a century-old friend for residents who have developed their livelihoods on agriculture. Unfortunately, as climate change has caused drastic environmental changes, many individuals have had to leave their homes. Fati and her family are just some of these individuals. While some people from Ghojormomi have left because they could no longer …
“Dolce Yana”
After Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, Yana and her family no longer felt safe in their home in Ukraine. She began the journey toward safety with her teenage son and two of his friends. They began by traveling to Ternopil by train. Yana recalls that the train was so packed with people desperately fleeing Ukraine that they were forced …