Foundation Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) in Moldova

The Foundation Liechtenstein Development Service (LED) has been supporting the Republic of Moldova since 2007. Moldova is a prioritized country of LED program in Eastern Europe. In its country strategy for Moldova, LED focuses its interventions on education sector.

The project portfolio of LED in Moldova in 2007-2010 consists of the following projects:

402_ A Future for our Children. This two year project was supported solely by LED and had an annual budget of 101’492 Swiss Francs. It was implemented by Educational Centre Pro Didactica, a well known Organization for educational projects in Moldova, which developed material for supporting the staff of the educational system in Moldova to deal with the growing problem of abandoned children. The project is disseminating valuable methodological support nationwide by holding seminars and distributing the handbook “I’m learning to be” and “Reading I’m learning to be”.

 403_Teaching materials and test centers for trainees. This short term project was funded by LED with 22’100 Swiss Francs. Insula Sperantelor is a private training provider, collaborating inter alia with ILO and La Strada for reintegrating victims of human trafficking. There is a lack of teaching materials for adult people and short term skills training. Therefore, Insula Sperantelor has developed its own teaching materials. With the support of LED, handbooks were published for each skill training. Furthermore, small test programs for the students were developed, so that the students can evaluate themselves when they are ready for the final test.

403_Modular training of workers in the context of employment. This is an extension of LED support to Insula Sperantelor for 2009. The project goal was to implement teaching technologies in accordance with the requirements of the employers as regards the occupations of “pastry cook” and “shop assistant”. The beneficiaries are the unemployed young and job seekers. The project budget was 24’084 Swiss Francs. The objectives were to modernize the material basis for the occupations of “pastry cook” and “shop assistant”; to purchase the equipment and stock for teaching the new technologies; to prepare and edit didactic handbooks for teaching the occupations of “pastry cook” and “shop assistant”; to prepare and edit didactic handbook concerning the social competencies of the workers engaged in the services sector (working with the customers, managers, avoiding the conflicts) and to develop computer software for testing on the occupations of “pastry cook” and “shop assistant”.

404_Accommodation for pregnant women or women with kids in the women prison from Pruncul. This short term project was implemented by Caritas Luxemburg and supported by LED with 128’000 Swiss Francs. The new accommodation should ease the hardship for pregnant women and women with kids in prison. Hygiene and room for personal belongings will meet EU-standards.

405_Strengthening of Vocational Training in Moldova (CONSEPT). This long term project, implemented by LED itself, started its first phase of three years in 2007. The project budget for this phase reaches 1.2 million Swiss Francs. In addition to assisting VETS in improving the current vocational training offers, CONSEPT supports VET schools in designing and implementing high quality short-term training according to the demands of the productive sector and customers like ANOFM.  The project has three lines of activity: support for school management, teacher training (including capacity building of the national institute for VET teachers training) and equipment support. The project is planned and implemented in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education of Moldova. The main goal is to help vocational schools to meet the demands of the economy for well trained personnel.

406_Institutional Support for Pro Didactica. In 2007 LED supported the NGO with 54’986 Swiss Francs to ensure the functioning of this NGO after the support by Soros-Foundation ran out because of its strategic reorientation in Moldova. Pro Didactica is an exceptional NGO in Moldova with specific capacity in education.

407_Moldova Employment and Entrepreneurship Education and Training Activity. This is a two-year project, implemented by Winrock Moldova, starting in September 2008. The total budget for the project is USD 736’706 in which LED’s contribution is USD 536’342 and the matching fund by another institution is USD 200’364.

The project consists of three components: 1) Life skills and job search training and assistance to students of Moldovan vocational schools; 2) Entrepreneurship training for vocational school students and unemployed adults and start-up grants to those entrepreneurship graduates who develop viable business plans; 3) Training of vocational school staff in the above two areas to ensure program sustainability.

Through this program vocational school students and recent graduates are expected to better identify existing employment opportunities in Moldova. Students and unemployed persons will gain tools to begin their own small businesses, especially in rural areas, where jobs are especially scarce and opportunities to provide new services exist. Also, Moldovan vocational school faculty and the National Employment Agency will gain valuable employment and entrepreneurship training capacity.

408_ Success Skills – from basics to vocation. This was a two-year project, implemented by Junior Achievement Moldova, starting in August 2008. The total budget for the project was USD 53’579 in which LED’s contribution was USD 40’563 and JA’s contribution was USD 13’216. The project goal was to motivate and help teenagers in secondary education (high schools, general secondary schools and vocational institutions) acquire practical skills in knowingly choosing future job, setting personal goals and identifying resources to reach development objectives. The project focused on the following objectives:

• Disseminate information and raise awareness among students, educators, parents and community members about the importance of career-building and self-management education for teenagers.

• Enrich non-compulsory curricula for secondary education with entrepreneurial skill-building courses and supplement national good practices and policy-making systems.

• Improve classroom practices in applying hands-on approaches in instruction and coaching and increase teachers’ motivation and retention.

• Cultivate social-responsible attitudes among stakeholders – parents, business people and community members.

• Build understanding and cooperation among schools and initiate partnerships for development between education, government (both local and central) and businesses.

4010_ A Good Start in Life for Rural Children in Moldova. This is a three-year project, implemented by Step by Step in Moldova, starting in February 2009.  The total project budget is 777’830 Euros in which LED’s contribution is 307’380 Euros and the matching fund from local authorities and from EFA-FTI is 472’000 Euros. The project goal is to assist the Community Centres (CCs) to actively support the parents and caregivers in their educational efforts for young children. With the help of the CCs the communities have strengthened their supporting structures for the young children, thus enabling a comprehensive development, better school readiness and transition to school. The CCs assist rural communities to build capacity in order to make these programs sustainable and to lobby at national, regional and local level for cross-agency cooperation in supporting community-driven initiatives.

Our representatives in Moldova are actively evaluating possible local partners for further projects in the sector of education. Also, we expect additional project applications from Swiss and Austrian development organizations.