Home
Subscribe
CPP Helps Energize Community, Builds Hope for the Future
Andrei Popovici leads Future
Coscalia with intrepid spirit
and a maverick approach
Through its Moldova Community Participation Program (CPP), IREX is supporting a much needed school renovation project in the village of Coscalia, located 25 miles outside of the capital city of Chisinau. Before CPP’s involvement, the physical condition of the secondary school was atrocious; the building had not been repaired since it was built in 1971.
The school’s administration submitted multiple requests to regional authorities for funding to repair the school but they were ignored. Coscalia’s citizens realized that they could only count on their own efforts to create changes. They formed the “Future of Coscalia” Parents and Teachers Association (PTA), appointing Andrei Popovici, a young priest and history teacher as their leader. “We wanted a change,” says Popovici, “and for that reason we created the Association. Our motto comes from Hegel: When the weak unite, they become strong; but when the strong unite, they become invincible.”
As the PTA began making small repairs on the school, the students became energized by their example and formed their own group “Youth in Action” to raise awareness and funds for improving their school. They organized a number of fundraising events including a beauty pageant, drawing contests, parties and discos.
The idea of involving the larger community in the school renovation project materialized when the PTA learned about the IREX Citizen Participation Program. After organizing a community-wide forum and working with IREX trainers to develop solutions, identify resources and develop an action plan, the group submitted an application to CPP for funding for a new music center, new windows, and other much needed school repairs and renovations. When the Coscalia school renovation project was selected for funding, the entire community expressed joy and a sense of accomplishment: “We were able to demonstrate the needs of the school and the need for community involvement. We utilized everyone’s skills and talents and did wonders! However, most importantly, we broke the ice between people in the community and, hopefully, created a good platform for future projects,” said Popovici, PTA’s President.
As the word about this community organized project spread, more local businesses signed up donating transportation and materials to repair the walkway leading towards the school. “This project freed us from some outdated misconceptions. We started to boldly knock on doors, and our mentality has changed tremendously,” commented Aliona Pascal, the school’s principal.
The Association’s efforts didn’t halt there. Encouraged by their success, the PTA petitioned the president of Moldova directly for additional funds and received attention for their efforts from local and national media. Now, citizens of Coscalia are more confident in their abilities to mobilize and make a change for the better in their own community. The citizens of Coscalia are sure that the school renovation will not be the last community improvement project they tackle, now that they are united and a stronger community then they were before undertaking this initiative.
E-mail this page