Moldova: Dreaming of a better life

A quarter of the working population of Moldova is working abroad. The money they send back, is good for one third of Moldova’s GDP. But with the decision to work abroad, many people leave their children and loved ones behind.

Because so many people try to find a way out of their misery, bad things can happen. Human trafficking is a vast problem in Moldova. Although there are many efforts to fight traffickers, the situation is not improving much Victims of human trafficking are often from broken families. The easiest targets are orphans, who are sent away at the age of sixteen.

At the same time Moldova is in a political crisis. There is no President elected and the country is deeply divided by a pro-Western urban youth and a pro-Communist rural population. The government is trying to satisfy both the EU and Russia. Instead of making big steps towards one or another, it is bouncing back and forth.

For many people the only chance of a better of future is to move outside Moldova. To Russia, to Europe, or to the US. But this is not the case for everyone. Some young people still have hope in the future and try to create change from within.