Empowering Local Youth Centers in Moldova - a short read

[Stories of success] The SMILE Effect: Empowering Local Youth Centers in Moldova through NGOs Capacity building - by OIUKUMENA

Capacity building and engaging with NGO's is what SMILE is all about. Building bridges and establishing contacts with those who make it possible!

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1. From Village initiative to District Leadership

In the village of Tareuca (Rezina district), a group of ten young volunteers, mentored by the Andromeda NGO, successfully mobilized to establish a Local Youth Council. By providing a structured "host platform," the NGO helped these youth navigate the bureaucracy of the Mayor’s office to secure a dedicated budget for youth activities. This local spark has since scaled up: these same volunteers are now leading the creation of a District Youth Council, proving that when an NGO builds a young person’s capacity to manage funds and coordinate teams, they transition from village activists to regional civic leaders.

2. Technical empowerment through Eco-Leadership

Under the EcoEdu initiative by the National Environmental Centre, youth are moving beyond "symbolic" volunteering to become community consultants. In one instance, a rural student who was initially too "reserved" to speak in public underwent a complete transformation by leading a technical team. By taking responsibility for monitoring water quality in local wells and conducting school energy audits, he gained the confidence to move up the "digital pyramid." Within two years, this once-shy student was representing youth interests in high-level debates with Ministry officials and university rectors.

Keep an eye out for future updates from SMILE team!

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