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Moldovan Youth Leaders Solve Community Problems

Before and after youth-led renovation project

Youth groups and NGOs throughout Moldova recently completed projects to increase youth leadership in community and civic affairs. A major objective of this initiative was to engage youth in decision-making processes and increase their leadership capacity. The Youth Leader initiative was part of the USAID-funded, IREX-administered Moldova Citizen Participation Program (CPP), a five-year project to expand citizen awareness, promote civic engagement, and encourage self-reliance, while improving living and social conditions throughout Moldova.

In September 2007, CPP awarded 15 youth groups with grants to implement various projects that were completed in January. The key project requirements were that projects be initiated, led, and implemented exclusively by youth with adults providing support only when necessary. The total value of the grants was approximately $70,000 and the projects impacted over 21,000 people.

The youth groups’ activities were diverse, including purchasing equipment to revitalize sports centers, creating school radio networks, and training youth in business. “This particular round of projects has given youth the opportunity to identify and solve community problems which will have a direct impact on their lives,” explained Iulia Sevciuc, CPP senior program associate for special projects.

Seventeen-year-old Constantin Vlas, the leader of a youth group from Sarata Galbena village, explained that before cooperating with CPP, youth did not have a place to gather and socialize. To address this problem, they decided to renovate the village square. He remarked, “The square is just the beginning…we’ll continue improving things. Now we know we can make changes and improve our community. “

The Youth Leaders initiative is a part of CPP’s Civil Society component, which has awarded 185 grants to community groups and NGOs.

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