200 older women and men from 10 communities of the Republic of Moldova will receive mobile phones connected to the Internet and learn how to use them together with young volunteers. Owing to the fact that the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) extended today the ‘Digital Skills Connect Generations’ project aiming to develop the intergenerational dialogue and promote active ageing. The programme is supported by national and international partners, civil society and the private sector – the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Chisinau, Moldcell Foundation, Bayer and Help Age International.

The launching event took place in Piatra commune, Orhei district and was attended by the partners, local authorities, older people and young people participating in the programme. During the event, the first 20 older people from the community received mobile phones connected to the Internet. UNFPA launched the ‘Digital Skills Connect Generations’ project in 2020 in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative has expanded over the past two years and has become very popular among older people. ‘Thanks to my eldest daughter, I became a great-grandmother in 2021. My great-grandson is living in Romania, I have seen him for the first time via phone. I haven’t seen him in person yet, but the phone helps me watch him growing like he is around me’, says Olga Carabet from Cazangic village, Leova district, who has been living alone for 12 years and is one of the programme participants (Read the whole story here.)

The initiative aims to promote active ageing and an intergenerational dialogue: in the first phase, 200 older people were helped to overcome social isolation by learning advanced technologies with the support of 50 young volunteers. A year later, in 2021, the project was expanded again – other 100 women and men aged 60+ and 25 volunteers joined the initiative. At this stage, 500 people aged 60+ from 25 communities in 8 districts across the country are involved in the programme. Apart from the mentorship in using a mobile phone, older people are trained to use the online services of the National Social Insurance House (NSIH) to be able to submit an online request for pension reallocation or to make an online appointment at the Territorial Social Insurance Houses.

At the same time, older people learn how to use the electronic services of the e- Governance Agency and participate in group sessions with psychologists and doctors, etc. Moldcell Foundation, together with young people, supports the digital inclusion of older people by facilitating access to communication and social networks, such as Viber, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook or Messenger. Over 125 young volunteers are involved in the project, training older people how to use mobile phones and providing them with constant support when needed.  Iurie Fucedji is 21 years old and an active programme volunteer. ‘I am proud to be a volunteer in this programme. Together with other young people, we help older people to overcome social isolation and lack of communication’.

Active Ageing Index launched by UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection in 2021 shows that only one third of older people in the Republic of Moldova use their full potential for active ageing. To enhance the programme impact, Bayer has joined the third phase of the project and would be involved in conducting healthy ageing activities in 25 communities, ranging from physical exercises to a lifelong healthy lifestyle. UNFPA Moldova has also extended the partnership with the Czech Republic since 2022. According to the data of the Generations and Gender Survey, conducted by UNFPA and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the digital divide between older and young people is huge – only 34% of the population aged 60-79 used the Internet, compared to 82% of the population aged 15-59.

The ‘Digital Skills Connect Generations’ project aims to promote active ageing and support social and digital inclusion of older people with the help of young people. The project is funded by #UNFPA Moldova, Moldcell Foundation, Swiss Cooperation in Moldova and the Czech Republic and implemented by HelpAge International Moldova in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova in 25 rural communities.