Youth from Both Banks: Reviving Peacebuilding Efforts

The programme "Youth for Peace and Equality" implemented by a local NGO “Initiatives 4 Peace”, in partnership with UN Women, brings together youth from both banks to participate in activities that equip them with the resources, skills and networks needed to promote peace. So far, these activities have included IT courses for girls, the Young Women for Peace Leadership School, the Hackathon/Peace Accelerator Lab and a Summer Camp for Young Peacebuilders.

A Digital Peacebuilding Approach

At the Hackathon/Peace Accelerator Lab in November 2023, Elena and Daria, Team #3 from Tiraspol emerged among winners with their ‘Tell Me’ app, designed to support survivors of gender-based violence. The app connects survivors with women's organizations on both banks of the Nistru/Dniester River, offering anonymous reporting, quick responses, and an SOS button. Following Elena and Daria’s pitch, they collaborated with Ion Chislaru, a young programmer from the right bank, to further develop the app. Together, they presented their finished product at the Summer Camp for Young Peacebuilders held in July 2024.

"At the Hackathon, we brainstormed to identify common concerns for both banks, and we agreed on the issue of gender-based violence," says Daria. The app is rooted in the idea that topics related to violence are often taboo and not openly discussed, explains Elena. “Individuals with traumatic experiences often find it challenging to seek psychological help or to resort to law enforcement agencies and may choose to avoid doing so,” she says. The goal of the app is to provide a safe space for women to seek help and support, regardless of their location.

The app's slogan is, "We regret that you're in the know. We're glad that you've found the strength to move on."

“It's not cool that someone will need to use this app and even its SOS button,” says Elena. “It means something has happened and they’re having a traumatic experience, but life goes on and it's important to help people overcome these experiences because no one is immune.”

“We really hope that people won’t need this app or quickly delete it,” says Daria. "But unfortunately, this app is important and necessary in our current reality, which is what drove us to create it.”

Story of Resilience and Transformation

Valentina is a young entrepreneur from Tiraspol who is trying to expand her business. A survivor of domestic violence, she moved to Moldova from Kiev, Ukraine seven years ago with her son whom she is raising alone. Before arriving, Valentina worked as a chief engineer at the Kiev Energy Research Institute, where she was in charge of training staff at atomic power stations. Since her profession proved redundant in her new host community, Valentina utilized her physics expertise to turn her passion for chocolate into a new profession.

"I was and remain a physicist,” says Valentina. “I didn't learn how to make chocolate at university, but I know the impact of temperature on the taste of certain products. That's how I knew to experiment with drying fruits and nuts so that they taste delicious and retain their good-for-your-body properties at the same time."

She enrolled in the Young Women for Peace Leadership School, organized by I4P in partnership with UN Women. Living in an area near Ukraine that is struggling with Russian aggression, Valentina says she can't stay detached.

"We women need to be more involved in decision-making processes,” says Valentina. “We cannot sit on the sidelines and suffer the consequences of conflict. We need to take action and support each other. I want to learn how to negotiate, how conflicts can be prevented both on a personal level and between states. We need to be prepared, and that is why I came to this school to learn and meet new girls and women who also share this goal."

Valentina's enthusiasm and optimism led her to host a workshop on healthy food and chocolate at the Summer Camp for Young Peacebuilders. 

"I have been sugar-free for 10 years, and I share my experience with other people,” she explains. “I don't just sell chocolate; I promote health and happiness. A healthy, happy person is less aggressive and more open to peace."

Valentina became an entrepreneur because it allowed her to work alongside her son, who inspires and empowers her to continue to fight for better opportunities. The main challenge she faces is expanding her business on the right bank. The Leadership School provided her with a supportive environment from international, governmental and civil society organizations, allowing her to strengthen ties and collaborations.

At the Summer Camp for Young Peacebuilders, Oleg Serebrian, the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, told the participants that the Republic of Moldova is an EU candidate country. “The resilience and determination of society are very important in this process,” he explained. “Activities like this, with young people represented from all over the country, are very important for our common future."

The project’s participants attended meetings with Members of the Parliament, the Bureau of Reintegration Policies, the Equality Council, UN Women and the OSCE Mission to Moldova. During these discussions, they learned about the advantages of being involved in decision-making and peacebuilding processes and initiated a letter to the 2025 Finnish Chairpersonship of the OSCE, expressing their visions for a peaceful settlement to the Transnistrian conflict.