With EU support, people from Bugeac village enjoy access to safe drinking water and those from Cealic – to a renovated kindergarten
19 April 2017
- Over 1700 persons from Bugeac village, Comrat rayon will enjoy access to safe drinking water, as a water supply system was inaugurated in their community. The water supply network and a new water tower were built with financial assistance provided by the European Union and contribution of local and regional public authorities, under the EU-funded Programme “Support for Agriculture and Rural Development in ATU Gagauzia and Taraclia” (SARD), implemented by the UNDP.
The water tower, built in Bugeac in the '80s, was in critical condition because of wear and tear, notes Nicolae Dudoglo, mayor of the village: “We did not have safe drinking water sources until now, because the waterpipe was deteriorated, the wells were located at long distances and that water non-drinkable. This is the reason for increased incidence of gastrointestinal diseases among the population of the locality, which rose by 15% over the last ten years. Just with the money from the local budget, we would’t have managed to rehabilitate the water supply system in the village even in 50 years”.
Inhabitants of Bugeac will also benefit from a new bus station and 400 meters of local road recently repaired, that facilitates access to the most important social institutions in the locality. An amount of 75 thousand 722 Euro was invested to perform all these works, out of which 62 thousand 787 Euro were provided by the European Union.
During the event, Pirkka Tapiola, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, noted: "Creating favourable and attractive living conditions for future generations is our primary responsibility. We can empower future generations by dedicating part of our time to preserve and renew social and public heritage, so that they have increased skills and available technology to face the changing world. This is why the EU provides assistance for improving standards of working and living for the benefit of the present and future citizens of the Republic of Moldova."
Also on 15 June 2017, a kindergarten was inaugurated in Cealic village, Taraclia rayon. The institution was modernized, with the financial assistance provided by the European Union and the contribution offered by local and regional public authorities. The roof of the kindergarten was changed, an extension of the building was built and all the premises were thermally insulated. At the same time, the access road and the territory around the kindergarten were arranged. The total cost of these is of 72 thousand 85 Euro, out of which 59 thousand 772 Euro represent the assistance provided by the European Union.
“We are so glad that from now on we will be able to provide necessary conditions for qualitative early education for about 50 children. A generation of children educated in adequate conditions means a better future for our community and for the Republic of Moldova”, said Parascovia Torlac, the director of the kindergarten.
Within SARD programme, by the end of 2018, 40 localities from ATU Gagauzia and Taraclia rayon will improve their social infrastructure. The European Union allocates 2 million Euro for those projects, while regional and local authorities contribute with at least 20% of the necessary amount.
“The intervention from Cealic village has a triple effect: achieving inclusive and quality education for all; promoting green and safe energy (through the biomass intervention and the isolation technologies), which ultimately generate economies of scale; attracting young specialists and making them stay and develop their home community. The project from Bugeac is an important step to ensure the universal access to safe and financially affordable drinking water for all people from Moldova by 2030”, said Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova.
The renovation of the infrastructure objects and promotion of inter-municipal cooperation in ATU Gagauzia and Taraclia is one of the three main components of the SARD Programme. It also focuses on empowering communities, renovating infrastructure objects and promoting inter-municipal cooperation in the region. Being financed by the European Union with 6.5 million Euro and implemented by the UNDP, the SARD Programme aims to boost the collaboration between the central and local authorities, as well as among the regional organizations from ATU Gagauzia and Taraclia district for fostering the social-economic development of the region, in particular, and that of the Republic of Moldova, in general.