After 15 years Zaim Community Centre was reopened thanks to the migrants’ involvement

All natives were encouraged to donate for the renovation of the Community Centre as part of the fund-raising campaign “Rediscover treasures of Zaim”.

“We are happy to finalize this social project, which required great effort. We are proud of our local fanfare band that is well-known in the country; we have folkloric bands and dance studios for young people. Thanks to the mobilization of the natives, who donated and supported us, our community would be able to keep and promote national traditions’, said the mayor of the community, Ion Veste.

Zaim Community Centre was built in 1973 with a total area of 900 square meters. About 15 years ago it was closed down due to improper conditions.

“Today, in Zaim, we are witnesses of one of the most beautiful examples of the 23 communities, where local authorities and Natives Associations proved to be able to capitalize on migration and transform this phenomenon into a local opportunity”, said Olesea Cazacu, Migration and Local Development Project Manager.

The Community Centre was renovated with the support of Migration and Local Development Project implemented by UNDP Moldova, with financial support from Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. The renovation works took six months. The renovation costs accounted for MDL 700,000, of which MDL 67,000 were donated by the natives, MDL 410,000 were provided by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and almost MDL 250,000 was the contribution of Zaim mayoralty.

“We, the inhabitants of Zaim, remember the former Community Centre with many concerts, cultural and artistic activities, and bands. We are happy that our natives want to keep alive the old day treasures and mobilized to contribute to the renovation of the Community Centre, which is our village’s symbol. It is the first joint project that proved that we are a force, irrespective of where we live”, said Maria Novac, President of the Natives Association of Zaim Community.

Besides the fund-raising campaign, we also launched the initiative “Adopt a chair for Zaim Community Centre”. Hence, 33 residents of Zaim ‘adopted’ 250 chairs by covering the reparation costs. One renovated chair costs MDL 100.

The festive atmosphere due to the reopening of the Community Centre was fired up by folkloric bands, local fanfare and singers. Maxim Vesti and Eduard Zaporojan, both born in Zaim, entertained their villagers for free. A special invitation was sent to Catharsis band that returned to this location after 15 years.

Last summer, other 15 localities were selected based on a contest as part of the second phase of the Migration and Local Development Project.