Children's Educational Center "Dyvosvit"

     In response to low enrollment rates of Ukrainian refugee children in Moldova’s formal education system, NCUM expanded its engagement in the education sector in 2024. The Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian Gymnasium in Chișinău, already hosting a significant number of refugee students, was identified as a key intervention site. In partnership with the school administration and international organisations, four classrooms were renovated and equipped to establish the Dyvosvit Preschool Education Centre.

     Dyvosvit delivers early learning and psychosocial support in a safe, child-friendly environment, fostering cognitive, emotional, and social development. The Centre applies an adaptive, play-based methodology focused on school readiness, with instruction in foundational literacy and numeracy, as well as in Ukrainian and Romanian languages—supporting gradual and culturally appropriate integration into the host education system.

     The project’s implementation in 2024 contributed to the development of a contextually appropriate and innovative approach to educational integration in Moldova. By incorporating elements of children’s native language and cultural identity into the host curriculum, the project advanced a “soft integration” model that proved both effective and scalable. As a result, over 90% of participating children successfully enrolled in first grade within Moldovan public schools. Dyvosvit, operated by the Ukrainian community within an existing public school, emerged as a precedent-setting model for community-led refugee inclusion. It highlighted the added value of refugee-led initiatives in complementing national systems and supporting the response.  

     In 2024, Dyvosvit provided early learning and psychosocial support to 66 displaced children from Ukraine. From 8 July to 2 August 2024, the Centre also organized a summer camp for 50 refugee and local children, offering educational, cultural, and recreational activities that fostered social cohesion and mutual understanding. Through inclusive pedagogy and structured peer engagement, the project strengthened school readiness, enhanced emotional resilience, and supported integration outcomes while reinforcing links between refugee and host communities.

     In 2025, Dyvosvit became part of the "Every Child is Protected in Moldova" project, implemented in partnership with UNICEF. Since January 2025, more than 30 children received educational support.

     The project was implemented in close coordination with key actors in the education sector under the Refugee Coordination Forum (RCF), including the Ministry of Education and Research and the Chișinău Municipal Administration. Close collaboration with the host school leadership was essential to facilitating infrastructure renovations and ensuring the sustainability of the intervention.  

     The establishment of Dyvosvit was made possible through the generous support of ChildFund Deutschland and the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung. Further support from UNICEF and World Vision enabled the Centre to be constructed and equipped with e-learning technology, educational materials, and resources for Romanian language instruction. These partnerships significantly enhanced the quality of services and contributed to shaping emerging standards for early childhood education tailored to the specific needs of refugee children in Moldova.