Nov 22, 2018
Moldova: A boost in local economy, less families torn apart by migration
At only five, Andreea has never seen her two brothers, mother, father and grandmother all together. For about ten years, the members of Gasca family are gathering only in front of the computer, connecting via Skype in the evenings. This scenario is common to almost every family in the village of Chiscareni in the northern part of the Republic of Moldova, as its every third inhabitant out of the 5,300 population works abroad.
Money sent home from abroad used for consumption
Three generation of women in the Gasca family were bearing till very recently the burden of running the household by themselves: the grandmother took care of the animals, the mother was both working and doing was sort of housework, while Andreea brought them joy and hope. The husband was working as a truck driver in Spain, the big brother was in the USA, while the middle brother is a student in Chisinau, the capital city of Moldova.
Emigration from Moldova is the eleventh highest in the world. Two thirds of the people who left the country are from rural areas and most of those are also young people.
Money earned abroad was mostly covering the family’s basic needs.
“ I cannot say that I was doing bad: at that time, I had all I needed, besides plans for a bright future. The money earned by my husband was enough, but this did not bring us happiness. I was living with today’s perspective and the sadness of tomorrow — we are many, but all of us are spread in the big world — the bigger boy is in the USA for six years and he loves her little sister so much, although he only saw her via Skype,” says Valentina Gasca, with tears in her eyes.
The average salary in the Republic of Moldova is of MDL 6,370 (USD 372) and the unemployment rate is of 3.5%, according to 2017 data.
Andrei Gasca faced a dilemma: although he had worked 10 years abroad, at his age of over 50 years, he could not afford to work as a truck driver because of his health, but he also could not come home because of lack of jobs and a safe source of income.
“It was very difficult for me to leave everything here and go abroad, but the family’s needs pushed me to leave to earn a living,” says Andrei Gasca.
In 2016, more than 20 percent of the GDP of the country came through remittances. While the money sent from abroad contributes to reducing poverty, less than 10 percent of remittances are invested productively. The remaining amount often fuels private consumption and investments in real estate.
We develop local communities to come back home
“Although I am working in the US for 6 years, I am always interested in what is happening in my native village. In the summer of 2016, when the Association of Chiscareni Natives decided to reconstruct the local park, I was the first to contribute financially for this project. For me, it is important for the village to grow, so that I have something to come back to, and my family to live in a beautiful place,” says Victor Gasca.
Victor is not the only native of Chiscareni away from home who wants to contribute for a modern and prosperous village. Some other 63 natives donated with over USD 2,600 for the village park project, to top-up the USD 20,000 grant offered by the Government of Switzerland, via UNDP.
The collaboration between local authorities and the people who left the village did not stop here.
“HOME in Chiscareni” — a touristic route developed with the support of the natives
“Chiscareni is a village located on the international route. Although the village has several tourist attractions to visit and “The Pie and Dolmades Festival” is organized annually in the locality, in this area, there is no accommodation and food facilities for tourists. That is why we came to the conclusion that it would be very good to develop a touristic route by the book,” says Silvia Țurcanu, the mayor of Chiscareni.
The establishment of the route would not have been possible without the support of UNDP Moldova and the grant provided by the Government of Switzerland in amount of USD 25,000. The natives who are abroad also supported this project with contributions of USD 700.
The grant was used to support four households to create accommodation facilities, to facilitate the access to Casso’s mound (1839–1904), to establish an information and handicraft center, so as to develop information and promotional materials.
“Thanks to the support of the Government of Switzerland and UNDP Moldova, we managed to transform this place into a guest house. My parents live next door and it is easy for them to take care of tourists who come. They are retired and have the time and dedication. My wife and me help them so that this becomes a prosperous family business that will provide us with a stable income,” said Viorel Pupaza, the owner of “Rustica” guest house.
In addition to the development of the tourist objectives, a great emphasis was put on training of service providers. A team of local guides from high school students was recruited. They are ready to guide tourists along the route, including in English.
Tourists can now admire the surroundings from high up climbing Casso’s Mound.
Additionally, they will also have the possibility to enjoy the local Eco-carriage rides, and bee therapy at “Albinuţa” (Bee) House.
Those wiling to fish or relax will be able to do it at the stopovers set up at the lakes and in the forest. The route includes four agro-touristic pensions that provide accommodation and offer agricultural activities to tourists, as well as homemade ecologic meals prepared by the villagers.
Three generation of women — engine of progress
The Gasca family is one of the four households that benefited from a grant to establish accommodation facilities and provide other tourist services.
“From my grandparents’ house, we established “La bunica” (grandmother) guest house in the most beautiful and ecological area of the community: surrounded by forest, away from the roads. It is a perfect location for total relaxation. In addition to the quiet atmosphere and delicious dishes, we have activities for any time of the year: fishing, gathering medicinal plants from the woods and savoring tea with ecological honey, harvesting, gathering grapes and making wine, baking bread and pies,” note the Gasca family.
Being asked if they have any chance of convincing their sons to come back home, Valentina Gasca said: “We do not have to convince them. Victor, our son living in the USA, said that as soon as we finish the arrangement of the guest house, he would come home with his wife and would set up in Chiscareni to take over this activity,” says Valentina Gasca, happily.
The happiest of all seems the grandmother Raisa, because she will see the family reunited again.
“My heart was hurting, when I saw everyone spread around the world. I am very glad that we, the three women in the family, will be able to bring and keep the three men at home to live in a beautiful and human way,” says Raisa, the grandmother of the Gasca family.
Note: The establishment of the tourist route “HOME in Chiscareni” is one of the 14 local economic development projects implemented in the 38 partner localities within the “Migration and Local Development” Project, implemented with UNDP Moldova support and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland.
