Moldovan school fights for survival with EU help

Many Moldovans are leaving the country, where poverty and corruption are rife. But one school director is giving her all to keep her establishment open, for the sake of the children and the future.

Decent living conditions, better-paid jobs, a normal health care system, clean cities, a well-functioning infrastructure: These are just some of the things that people in the Republic of Moldova would like, and the reason why many would prefer to live in a different country.

Corruption and poverty are fueling people's desire to leave. Those who can often opt for the European Union, where they hope to find a better, more welcoming world. Those who are forced to stay are doing their best to make ends meet.

In the village of Drujba (which means friendship in Russian), not far from the border with Romania, a school is fighting for its survival. The village is relatively young; it was founded only 50 years ago, when Moldova was part of the Soviet Union. But there has been a steady population drain since the early 1990s after the fall of the communist regime, as people seek better lives elsewhere.

Appeal for help from embassies

The local high school was converted into a kindergarten and elementary school of four classes in 1993.

There are currently only 29 pupils at the school, and thus a high risk that the establishment will be closed down. So, staff members are doing their best to prove that it can survive on minimal resources.

There are limited funds provided by the government for maintenance, and the school has not been able to attract any other project funding because of the small number of pupils. It was slated to be "optimized," or closed, but before this happened, school director Angela Chitoraga contacted several embassies in the capital Chisinau, some 100 kilometers (60 miles) away, and asked them for help.

And help came, including from Germany. "As part of the 'New energy infrastructure for Drujba' project, the German embassy gave us 400,000 lei [around €20,000/$22,500] in financial support," Chitoraga told DW.

This money was used to install a photovoltaic system. The heating system was also modernized, and the walls thermally insulated. The school is currently the only public institution in the whole district that runs on solar power.

'Children who live here want to learn'

"I'm so proud about this project. Several educational establishments in the district called and asked me if it was true that we had a photovoltaic system. Nobody believed that such a small school could be saved," said Chitoraga.

Before, the kindergarten and school were spending around 100,000 lei (about €5,000) on electricity, wood and coal each year. Since the solar-powered system was introduced, there has been a significant reduction of expenses. The energy generated is used to heat the school, kindergarten, and library, as well as to prepare meals.

When energy consumption is low, during the summer vacations, for example, the surplus production is fed into the electricity grid, which generates additional income for the establishment. The school has been able to employ additional staff with the money saved.

There are 35 children in the kindergarten, while the school has five children in year one, seven in year two, eight in year three and nine in year four.

"It's not the children's fault that more and more families are leaving their village," said Chitoraga. "But the children who live here want to learn! As these children are far away from the city, they are still marginalized and disadvantaged. They can't attend art or sports schools; they can't go to the theater or the cinema. They at least have the right to a school in their village."

Photovoltaics generate surplus electricity

It's nice and warm in the kindergarten. The few children there have just eaten and are playing on the floor. Though they surely don't understand how the solar panels on the roof work in detail, they do know it is the sun that keeps them warm in summer, and now in winter. The teachers explain that they have taught the children about green energy and protecting the environment.

Locals were curious when the solar panels were installed, with many stopping by to see if they could put in similar systems to avoid using wood or coal to make fires. There is no gas supply to the village, and thus most households have a pile of wood waiting to be burned.

Employees from the company that installed the photovoltaic systems came to inform the villagers. During their breaks, the children would also listen in to find out just exactly how the panels on the roof could generate electricity and heat.

Ana Caracas, who lives directly opposite the school, works as a guard there. One of her boys is in first grade and another is in kindergarten. She said that lots of people showed interest in the solar panels after they were installed, but the price was usually too high and most could not afford to install such systems at home.

'An investment in the future'

The school director's family is considering installing a photovoltaic system on their house in the spring. Chitoraga said her children, who volunteered abroad, had taught her that she had to actively look for projects that make a difference. Her main goal is to find ways to prevent her school from being closed down.

This year, she and another teacher attending a football training session so that she could acquire footballs for the school. "Most of the people there were men but I played football with them and ended up bringing the kids back a whole sack of balls. Now they have something to play with," she said.

Chitoraga's son, who lives in France, also helps. Every year, he comes over with a group of volunteers, bringing school equipment and clothes for the children. When a big storm damaged the roof, he collected donations for a new one.

"I never thought that as a small village with a small school, we would receive so much help. It is an investment in the future of these children, in the future of this village and in the future of this country," said Chitoraga.