Fighting Child Poverty in Europe

For thousands of children throughout the world, the Christmas season will not be a time for celebration.  As our children chatter excitedly about Santa’s arrival and the presents they hope to receive, children in countries such as Moldova will still be suffering.   Christmas, for them, is just another day of grinding poverty, malnutrition, lack of education and possible abuse. 

Tudor’s Story

Tudor is 12 year’s old. He is one of four children. His mother died when he was about 5 years old. Two of his sisters look after the home in Iargara a remote village in Moldova whilst their father, a builder, tries to support the family by working in Moscow. The eldest daughter works in Turkey and sends whatever she can to help. The conditions in the home are very poor and often they do not have enough to eat or fuel to keep the house warm. Winters are cold with temperatures averaging minus four degrees in January.

Tudor attends the Child and Community Centre supported by Children on the Edge whenever he can; usually when he is free of extensive household chores, such as lighting fires and fetching water. At the Centre he receives a daily nutritious meal and help with his homework. The Centre also acts as a safe place for Tudor to hang out with his friends.

Tudor’s ambition is to become a chef. He was invited to help staff with cooking lessons at the centre, and he loved it!  Tudor is a quiet boy, with a sad face who wears shabby clothes. He does not like to talk about the conditions in his home. Despite the problems of his everyday existence his attendance at the centre is giving him the best possible chance of a better future.

Please take action:

Donate: £5 could buy five meals for one child, £50 could pay for a rare evenings entertainment for 40 children.

Read more: On our work with children in rural Moldova