Ana Derevenco or Anasteishein, as she likes to be called, is a student and peer to peer educator at the College "Vasile Lupu" in Orhei. The college is one of the 12 professional and technical institutions in the Republic of Moldova, supported by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in a project promoting life skills based education.

Between studies, professional practice before the graduation exams, volunteer activities with her peers in college, Ana finds time to be actively involved in supporting refugees from Ukraine.

The young woman says that specifically the lessons taught in college related to life skills development helped her during all this time of hard emotional challenges to manage correctly her time and activities and be able to avoid stereotypical thinking.

" At the “Decisions for a healthy life style” course I learned about empathy, tolerance, understanding, how to manage emotions, and to take informed decisions - lessons and skills that have been very helpful to me in my desire to help," says Ana.

 "It all started spontaneously, after I saw on social networks that a war started in the neighbouring country. I thought that the situation could get worse and the first instinct was to help. I remember that it was Friday, I hurried to the administration of the college to discuss my idea, which, in a short time became an activity called - "Peace".

Ana, managed to mobilize students and the community to make donations at the collection point for refugees who were housed in local centers or families in Orhei county.

“My first interaction with the refugees was at the collection point where I met a numerous family, who were hungry and frozen. I quickly arranged a hot breakfast and tea and started helping them with everything they needed”.

From the funds donated voluntarily by the students of the college, the refugees were supplied with hygienic products, blankets, condensers for heating the accommodation spaces and products to cover other basic necessities.

"Together with several volunteers from the college, we helped select, distribute and direct the goods to those in need."

In addition to her involvement in the community, Ana also volunteered at Tudora Custom point and also at "Moldova for Peace" organization. She was selected to provide to refugees support with accommodation, being the bridge between refugees and Moldovan families who can provide a temporary place for living.

"I saw people coming to the custom point with fear and concern. "Родные остались там, я не могу ничего поделать" (n.r. "my relatives remained there, I can't do anything")

Together with other young people from the Youth Centers in the country, supported by UNFPA and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Ana went for a day to "Moldexpo" where she distributed menstrual hygiene products to women and was involved in carrying out recreational activities for children.

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"I am happy to be able to help distribute menstrual hygiene products to women. Despite war, a life with dignity for girls and women requires access to menstrual hygiene products.  At "Moldexpo" I also saw some small children and their mother emotionally affected by the situation. I decided to offer her some personal time. I took the little ones and went to play with them in the kids’ zone. Overall, I do not understand why there must be war, why people should suffer. People must be cherished, not killed. No one is eternal, but peace has eternity in itself... ”

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UNFPA, with the support of the Austrian Development Agency in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research, help students in 12 vocational and technical institutions by providing them with infrastructure and educational materials for the development of healthy behaviours and life skills to make more easily their transition from adolescence to adulthood and integration on the job market. Ana Derevenco is the beneficiary of the project initiated by UNFPA.