Moldovan Community Mobilizes to Save Local School

As the IREX-implemented Internet Access and Training Program (IATP) prepares to pass the torch to local partners in December, program public access computing centers continue to bridge the digital divide and provide motivated citizens with the access to information and ICT tools necessary to make a difference in their communities.

When graduates of Comrat School No. 6 in the Gagauzia region of Moldova learned in May that their alma mater was at risk of being closed due to a lack of government funding, they were shocked; the news broke amidst preparations for the school’s 40th anniversary celebration. A dedicated group of alumni, led by graduate and local resident Vitalii Stanciu, organized to advocate to save the school. After registering an official association with the Department of Justice and leading community outreach events, they began to receive local news coverage.

Stanciu and the group then came to the local IATP Center in Comrat—the only center in the region offering free internet access and technical training—to leverage the technology and know-how to help spread their message. Working with IATP staff, they created a online wiki resource explaining the looming closure, detailing the group’s goals of the association, and calling on others to join the association’s efforts to save the at-risk school. To increase traffic to their wiki page, Stanciu and the group also used IATP resources to e-mail the site’s link to their database of graduates, both in Moldova and abroad.

Although the organization’s outreach efforts specifically targeted alumni, they were also successful in bringing the plight of the school to the attention of the broader community. IATP trainee Dorin Rusu echoed the sentiments of many Comrat residents, saying, "I personally never studied at School No. 6, but I was really disturbed by the decision of the Department of Education to close it. In two years, my son will start school, and as a parent, I want him to go to a school that is close to home. I join with all the graduates and the students of the school who are trying to revive it and return it to its former glory as one of the best schools in Comrat. Together, we can really make a difference."

Within four short months Stanciu and association members had raised enough funds to purchase a school computer, printer, scanner, copy machines, and a digital camera. They presented the gifts to the school on September 1, 2009, on the traditional Day of Knowledge ceremonies commemorating the first day of school. Addressing the crowd of students, teachers, parents, and community members, Stanciu credited the support of a wide network of alumni: "This is only our first step on the way to rescue our home school. The gifts are small but were bought thanks to the generosity of many caring individuals, including numerous graduates from all around the world.”

The association quickly got to work on a larger and more pressing goal—to repair the school’s damaged roof. Appealing to donor organizations, philanthropic business owners, and their established alumni group, the organization again employed the resources of the local IATP center to create an official website for their association, Tucaneasca, named after the local district. Soon supplies were purchased with donations received from the community’s tireless fundraising efforts and repairs were made by the association members themselves. On October 24, 2009, School No.6 in Comrat celebrated its 40-year anniversary under a newly-laid roof.

Overwhelmed, School Director Nelly Tricolici expressed his gratitude to supporters at the anniversary celebration, “This summer, former graduates took this school under their care. I never could have dreamed that within one summer, the school’s physical building could have been restored, and that on the school’s 40th anniversary, it would be buzzing proudly with students, parents, teachers, guests, and employees of the Department of Education of Gagauzia. Our pupils are again actively involved in extracurricular activities, such as writing for the school newspaper, playing basketball in the gym, preparing for theater performances, and many other things. In short, life will go on at School No. 6 because now it is safe and no longer at risk.”

The story of Tucaneasca and School No. 6 is just one example of what concerned, dedicated community members have achieved by harnessing local ICT resources to assist them in their missions since IATP first opened its doors in Moldova more than ten years ago. Moldovans from all walks of life and professional backgrounds have used the training, technology, and free internet access available at IATP centers across the country for personal, professional, and community development. More than 100 young women gained ICT and leadership skills through the Tech Age Girls (TAG) program, which helped them find employment opportunities and reduced their vulnerability to human trafficking; over 240 medical professionals representing 13 institutions and six regions participated in the MedIT program designed to improve patient services across Moldova through digital record-keeping; and dozens of librarians have graduated from the IT4Librarians program with the knowledge to leverage online information resources and provide modern library services in their communities.

Beginning in December, four graduated IATP centers or Independent Internet Centers (IIC) will operate in Moldova. The IATP center in Chisinau will continue offering services as an IIC under the management of Moldova State University, providing free internet access and training to community leaders—such as NGO representatives, librarians, entrepreneurs, and media professionals—as well as Moldova State University staff and students. Similar services will be offered by the center in Comrat, whose operations will be overseen by the Gagauzian Department of Education. The center in Tiraspol, Transnistria, will continue to be the only source of free internet access in its region and will be sustained by the NGO World Window Youth Information Center. The NGO plans to offer paid technical training to cover the center’s expenses but continue to provide internet access to the public free of charge. These three will join a fourth IIC in Causeni, operated by the Creativity Center for Children. Together they will continue to be a resource for local residents and organizations, such as “Tucaneasca,” who are working to bring new opportunities to their communities.

IATP activity begins in Moldova: 1998
Centers offering free services: Chisinau, Comrat, Tiraspol, Causeni
# users (since June 2007): 3,712
# trained (since June 2007): 1,964
# of visits to IATP centers (since June 2007): 38,099
# of training sessions (since June 2007): 366

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