Every morning, Zinaida Levința begins her day with gratitude and a desire to be surrounded by people. At 71, she still walks through the doors of the Centre of Excellence in Services and Food Processing in Bălți with the same enthusiasm she felt when she first entered a classroom nearly half a century ago. A Romanian language and literature teacher with 47 years of experience, she says teaching has never been just a job – it has been an essential part of who she is. Retirement did not mark the end of her journey. Instead, it opened a new chapter in which she continues to learn, work, and inspire others.
Although she has been retired for 15 years, she never imagined a life away from school.
“I cannot imagine my life outside of school. I have spent my entire career among young people. I love them, and this is where I feel most energized.”
Over the course of her 47-year career at the Centre of Excellence in Services and Food Processing in Bălți, Zinaida has held several positions – from dormitory supervisor to Deputy Director, a role she fulfilled for 24 years. Today, she is a senior teacher (First Teaching Degree), coordinates extracurricular activities, and serves as editor of the school's magazine, The World of Culinary Arts. In 2025, her dedication to education was recognized with a Second-Class Diploma awarded by the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.
For Zinaida, work is no longer about earning a salary. “My pension is enough to live on. I could stop working if I wanted to. But for me, communication is everything. I go to work with joy. I enjoy seeing people – and being seen by them.”
Her energy comes from much more than her profession. She travels, goes to the gym, reads, attends theatre performances and films, and tries to approach each day with gratitude.
“Life is so beautiful that we should live it beautifully – with positive thoughts and joyful emotions. Every morning I wake up and say, ‘Life is beautiful. Thank You, God, for everything You give me.”
This year, Zinaida added another achievement to her long list of accomplishments: she graduated from the University of the Third Age in Bălți.
She first learned about the programme on social media and was immediately drawn to the idea of becoming a student again. She still remembers the excitement of her first day. “I arrived with a notebook and a pen, ready to take notes. I exchanged the teacher’s desk for a student’s chair.”
The experience became one of personal growth. She learned about digital technologies, online safety, and digital skills, while rediscovering the joy of learning. One of her most memorable moments came when she spoke English for the very first time.
“I had never studied English before. At the University of the Third Age, I pronounced my first English words. I felt like a student again.”
More than new knowledge, the programme gave her confidence and confirmed something she had always felt. “Being a student at my age helped me realize that the child within me is still alive. I feel young.”
Graduation was especially emotional. For the first time in her life, she wore a graduation gown.
“I felt a mixture of emotions – pride, nostalgia, fulfilment, and joy. It was the first, and probably the last, time I wore a graduation gown. It was something I had waited for my whole life.”
For Zinaida, age is not a limitation but a stage of life that offers the freedom to continue growing, learning, and contributing to society and the economy.
In an ageing society, her story demonstrates that older people still have much to offer their communities and the labour market. Their experience, willingness to stay engaged, and ability to embrace new knowledge are valuable resources for society as a whole.
Zinaida Levința’s story also reflects a generation that is redefining what ageing looks like. In the Republic of Moldova, demographic change is becoming increasingly visible. As birth rates decline and life expectancy rises, the population is ageing rapidly. Today, one in five people in the country is over the age of 60, and demographic projections indicate that by 2040, one in three people will be aged 60 or older.
Unlocking the Potential of Older Persons: A Demographic Priority
Launched in the Republic of Moldova on 1 October 2023, the International Day of Older Persons, the University of the Third Age is one of the initiatives through which UNFPA – together with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Ministry of Education and Research, universities, development partners including the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom and Japan, and the private sector through the Moldcell Foundation – promotes active and healthy ageing.
In just three years, the programme has brought together nearly 400 older learners in Chișinău, Bălți, and Cahul who chose to return to the classroom to acquire new skills, build social connections, and remain active members of their communities.
The University of the Third Age is only one of several UNFPA-supported initiatives responding to Moldova's changing demographic realities. Older persons' clubs, intergenerational centres, reskilling programmes that support continued participation in the labour market, and other active ageing initiatives demonstrate that longevity should not be viewed as a burden, but as an opportunity to harness the experience, knowledge, and contributions of older people.
Zinaida Levința is living proof that age is measured not only in years, but also in curiosity, resilience, and the determination to keep moving forward.
