A social laundry opened in Cobîlea village with EU financial support

Vulnerable people in Cobîlea, Șoldănești district, now have access to a new free social service. With financial support from the European Union, a social laundry was opened in the village, where more than 150 vulnerable residents will be able to wash and dry their clothes in decent conditions.

The laundry is equipped with washing machines, high-performance dryers, ironing tables, and new furniture. All equipment was purchased to ensure a quality service tailored to the needs of the most vulnerable members of the community. At the same time, within the project, two jobs were created at the social laundry in Cobîlea.

The inauguration event was attended by representatives of the European Union, local public authorities, donors, and community members.

“This social laundry is a project close to our hearts and a concrete example of how we can bring visible changes to people’s lives. We want every person in our community to feel supported and respected, especially those going through hard times,” said Angela Ababei, Mayor of Cobîlea.

“For the European Union, people are at the heart of every project. The social projects we finance are not only investments in infrastructure, but also investments in people, in their dignity and well-being. We are glad to be part of this initiative that brings an essential service into the life of the Cobîlea community. It is important to us that every citizen, regardless of their financial situation, feels that they have support and are not left behind. The European Union will continue to support such initiatives, which provide practical and humane solutions for communities in the Republic of Moldova,” underlined Martina Spernbauer, Team Leader, Cooperation Section, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.

The development of the social laundry in Cobîlea is the result of a project implemented by the civil society organization Bella Getica, in partnership with the local mayor’s office. The project, financed by the European Union, contributed EUR 31,000, supplemented by the mayor’s office with about 60,000 MDL.

After the project’s completion, the service will be taken over and managed by the Cobîlea mayor’s office, which will ensure its continuity and sustainability.

The project “Promoting CSOs as Partners in the Development of Resilient Social Services” is funded by the European Union, co-financed and implemented by a consortium of three civil society organizations: Keystone Moldova, Dorcas Foundation Moldova, and the Association for Education “Neoumanist.” Within the project, regional CSOs, in partnership with local public authorities, created and developed 16 social services in 16 communities (social laundry, personal hygiene, and socialization services) dedicated to vulnerable people.

As a result of the project’s implementation, more than 1,500 people in difficult socio-economic circumstances (low-income individuals, unemployed, pensioners, single-parent families, and homeless people) are now benefitting free of charge from the services provided by social laundries (laundry, personal hygiene, and socialization).