We first met 20-year-old Denis* when he was still in an institution. We worked hard to help him leave the residential institution, then continued to provide consistent mentoring and counselling to help him overcome the trauma he experienced while there.
Before the coronavirus pandemic our team in Moldova was on hand to help Denis, who now lives independently with his wife and 6-month-old baby, continuing to offer the help his family needs.
To improve his prospects, he was studying at a vocational school in Romania and working hard to support his family, which meant living away from home sometimes. But when the crisis escalated, his school closed, and he lost his part-time employment.
He returned to Chisinau, worried about his ability to support his young family. With his school closed, his student stipend was delayed, and his family savings depleted. The money Denis had left wasn’t enough to cover his family’s rent and other living expenses.
Knowing his difficult situation, our team responded quickly. In addition to counselling, we offered him financial support to help his family buy essential food, hygiene products and infant formula.
Denis is grateful for the support his family has had.
“Lumos has been helping me not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also before it. I’ve received advice, psychological assistance, as well as material support. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened without this help.”
*Name changed to protect privacy
