UNHCR supports refugees and vulnerable communities in Moldova by providing firewood for heating during wintertime

UNHCR supplied 2,100 cubic meters of firewood through the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova to be distributed, free of charge, in rural areas where people may not have access to gas or electric heating.

With the support of UNHCR in cooperation with the Joint Crisis Management Center, the Moldsilva Agency is procuring firewood from Romania through the National Forestry Directorate Rosilva, the wood was transported from Romania and distributed to the local authorities who will oversee the delivery to the refugees and most vulnerable local population within the local raions (districts). The distribution process to the final beneficiaries is closely monitored by Joint Crisis Management Center to ensure that it reaches those in need. On the 11th of February, the Minister of Environment, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Moldsilva, and UNHCR representative in Moldova visited the towns of Singerei and Elizavetovca Village where the last shipment of firewood arrived in the custody of the local authorities.

“We are extremely grateful for this initiative by UNHCR which will help vulnerable people to stay warm during the cold winter months,” said Rodica Iordanov the Minister of Environment. “It is a much-needed relief knowing that our families can keep warm without worrying about how we will pay for it.”

The procurement of firewood is one part of a wider effort by UNHCR to support refugees and vulnerable members of host communities in Moldova in energy resilience. It complements the existing activities to provide winter assistance provided for both refugees and local communities, in addition to protection, legal and cash assistance provided for refugees through UNHCR’s partners in the country.

“This project helps us to respond to the immediate needs of refugees and vulnerable people living in rural areas who are struggling to keep their homes warm during wintertime,” said Francesca Bonelli, UNHCR Representative in Moldova. “It also helps us build bridges between refugees and host communities – providing much-needed assistance while also recognising the role played by the people of Moldova in hosting the refugees. I reaffirm UNHCR’s commitment to stand by Moldova in their solidarity with the refugees”

UNHCR continues its work on the ground in Moldova in partnership with the Government of Moldova to ensure that refugees have access to essential humanitarian assistance, protection, and social services such as health care, education and legal counselling while also providing support for local communities hosting refugees.

People in rural Moldova depend on burning firewood for heating during winter. However, the Government of Moldova has been implementing measures such as restricting the harvesting of firewood in forests and providing incentives to farmers and other producers who switch to cleaner sources of energy. Additionally, the Government has taken initiatives to promote more efficient burning techniques which reduce emissions while still providing heat, as well as encouraging landowners to plant trees on their land.

Since March 2022, more than 800,000 border crossings have been recorded in the Republic of Moldova from Ukraine. More than 100,000 refugees from Ukraine are still in Moldova. A substantial number of those who remain in Moldova are women, children, and elderly refugees.  Since the beginning of the refugee influx, UNHCR alone has delivered more than US$100 million worth of assistance and support in Moldova, in addition to the contributions of other humanitarian and development actors, as well as direct bilateral donor support to the Government.

The work of UNHCR in the Republic of Moldova is made possible with support from international donors who support the operation specifically, as well as those who contribute broadly earmarked and unearmarked funds that benefit its global programmes. Top donors to the UNHCR response in Moldova include:

Australia for UNHCR | Canada | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Denmark | European Union | Finland Greece | Iceland | Ireland | Italy l Japan | Liechtenstein | Malta | MSC Foundation | Poland | Republic of Korea | Switzerland | Sweden | United States of America | UPS Corporate | USA for UNHCR as well as other private sector donors.