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  • 2017-03-05 | News

    One Billion Rising Moldova

    On Sunday 5th of March, the demonstration “One Billion Rising Moldova” organized by the National Coalition Life without Violence took place in the framework of the “One Billion Rising Revolution” movement, the largest worldwide Campaign against Violence against Women. It owes his name to the will to stand up against the reality that 1 in 3 women in the world – one billion – will be beaten or raped during her lifetime.


    The campaign first began in 2013 and this year, is focusing on the exploitation of women with the motto RISE! DISRUPT! CONNECT!

    Rise! For understanding exploitation and demand to end all forms of exploitation of women and girls.

    Disrupt! For resisting, defying and demanding to hold governments, institutions and other perpetrators accountable for their actions.

    And finally Connect! Because getting together means drawing attention, acquiring accountability to put more pressure, bringing hope and handing back the power to the people.


    The chosen way to bring consciousness is art, especially dance. RCTV Memoria's team and their volunteers, together with other member organizations of the National Coalition, joined the movement in joy and music through an open air flash mob in Chisinau. Messages for supporting women victims of domestic violence have also been left on banners placed on the street. This was definitely a positive step in the fight to raise awareness around violence against women in Moldova in order to prevent it. RCTV Memoria has been involved in and will continue to be part of this cause as long as needed.

     

    For more information on the "One Billion Rising Revolution" movement: http://www.onebillionrising.org/

     

    By Celine Mewissen,

    EVS Volunteer at RCTV Memoria

     

  • 2016-12-09 | News

    Mexico Consensus

    In December 2016, the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) and the Mexican rehabilitation centre Colectivo Contra la Tortura (CCTI) hosted two important events in Mexico City which RCTV Memoria – represented by Mrs Ludmila Popovici – attended as a member centre of the IRCT and key actor of rehabilitation of torture victims in the Republic of Moldova.

    From December 5th to 7th, the 10th IRCT International Scientific Symposium gathered about 400 participants and 130 practitioners and experts in order to share knowledge, experience and research on the rehabilitation of survivors of torture at a global level and with a multi-disciplinary approach. The Symposium was directly followed by the IRCT 5th General Assembly on the 8th-9th December.

    These two meetings led to the adoption by IRCT of a Resolution titled “Mexico Consensus” calling States to respect and promote right to rehabilitation in complying with their obligations to prevent and prosecute torture, provide reparations to the victims and increase their funding.

     

    For more information, see the "Mexico Consensus".

  • 2016-10-18 | News

    ”Volunteering is empowering people to become better for themselves”

    Hi,

      My name is Lena Marie Hein and I come from Winsen/Luhe, which is a lovely small town in northern Germany. Until recently, I was a 19-year-old student at “Gymnasium Bürgerweide”, from which I graduated a couple of months ago. As a consequence, after 13 years of having attended school, I aimed at leaving my familiar surroundings behind for a certain period of time and experience something new, something unfamiliar in order to not only broaden my own horizon but also, and in the first place, to serve and support other people in what they do and this is why I chose to come to Moldova as a volunteer.

      In theory, I might as well just spend a year as a volunteer in Germany. However, Germany mainly proposes surroundings and mindsets which I tend to be quite familiar with. Therefore, I hold the view that going abroad, experiencing other people, other cultures and thus other frames of mind firsthand conjures up the opportune occasion for me to grow and develop as a personality while assisting other people in their work.

      In this, I opted to apply for the position at RCTV Memoria because it offers insights which are impossible to gain when staying in Germany, it offers me a way of learning that, for instance, textbooks etc. can never reveal because to me, the only way for profound comprehension to prevail is to experience, plunging into the “unknown”.

      In accordance with that, I am of the opinion that guaranteed human rights constitute an indispensable part of a prosperous society, thus not destroying its own foundations but rather enriching the life of everyone as well as contributing to social progress. These topics form a substructure I consider highly absorbing and result in the vision and mission of RCTV Memoria which I can ergo entirely identify with.

      With reference to the nine months I am going to live here in particular, I actually attempt not to have too many specific prospects so I can be open to whatever may expect me here, considering this a welcoming challenge to step out of and expand my comfort zone in order to respond to unforeseen occurrences adequately.

      Despite that, I anticipate these nine months abroad to teach me even more about empathy, taking responsibility for myself and other people, respecting differences and tolerating the beliefs of others. Therefore, I sense that such a volunteering involvement abroad definitely opens new paths with reference to social competence by means of thinking in different ways and being challenged in one’s very own viewpoints, hence extending one’s own capacities and potentials.

      For these reasons, I am certain to come out of this volunteering involvement with new competences, new relationships and great memories, having had an enriching intercultural experience in every sense of the word. I am really looking forward to the months ahead, whatever they may bring!

  • 2016-06-26 | News

    26 June 2016: Celebrating life

    When I tell people, especially other foreigners like me, what exactly I am working on as part of my European Voluntary Service (EVS) project, their faces drop. “Torture” is a heavy word. When I speak with locals about what I do, I am met with surprise and with the inevitable question “we have that in Moldova?”

    We embraced this year’s IRCT slogan “Living life after torture” and called on friends, partners and people in general to drop by our Charity Yard Sale on 26 June and celebrate with us and our beneficiaries the strength and resilience of survivors of torture to live their lives with dignity after trauma. We were happy to count on the participation of Ms. Maia Bănărescu, Ombudsman for Children’s Rights of Republic of Moldova.

    This event was a celebration: kudos to Elenore for the playlist choice!; some of us ventured into trying new things – such as henna tattoos made by one of our talented beneficiaries, an open-air gallery showcased the extraordinary paintings of another of our young gifted beneficiary. I had the privilege of wearing a beautiful Ie, the Romanian traditional blouse, crafted by experienced hands at our weekly Creative Arts Club “Dalia”.

    The spirit of 26 June is one of celebration. The highlight of this campaign was, for me, the unraveling of the painting “From Horror to Healing” by Cesar Perales, an EVS volunteer from Spain working with Association Oberliht. This was a personal project that I implemented thanks to the support of RCTV Memoria staff and, of course, thanks to Cesar who kindly agreed to produce an artwork dedicated to rehabilitation. I am not a trained caregiver or an artist; this small project built a bridge between both, which resulted in a powerful tool for advocacy, communication and fundraising for RCTV Memoria. But, most of all, it stands as a symbol for what moves us all: hope, dreams, empathy, belief in the strength of the human spirit.

     

    26 June campaign was supported by IRCT – International Council for the Rehabilitation of Torture Victims. The project “From Horror to Healing” was supported by ADVIT – Europe without Borders.

     

    By Margarida Hourmat,

    EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria

  • 2016-05-16 | News

    The day clowns came to prison

    Anyone passing near penitentiary no. 16 in Chișinău last Monday morning might have been surprised by the sound of laughing children. But even prison bars could not keep away the celebrations of the International Day of Families implemented by RCTV Memoria in partnership with the Department of Penitentiary Institutions.

    A young boy struggling to hide his tears as he runs to embrace his mother is a painful reminder of how many children are separated from their parents because the latter are detained, while others effectively grow up during the first years of their lives inside a prison in order to stay with their mothers. The psycho-social needs of detainees and their families, equal to those of any other person, are not sufficiently fulfilled by the workings of the prison system in Moldova.

    So, on that morning, the guards, the bleak buildings, the longing and the fences fade into the background and gave way for colours, balloons, music, candies, clowns and, most importantly, for family moments and memories. Penitentiary staff and outside visitors became spectators; the prison courtyard with its trees looked like any other courtyard in the city; for brief moments, children were just children, parents were just parents, together they were like any other families, and clowns meant everything.

     

    This activity was implemented as part of the project “Joint efforts for better access to psycho-social and medical services in Moldova prisons” implemented by RCTV Memoria in partnership with the Penitentiaries Department, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

     

    by Margarida Hourmat,

    EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria

  • 2016-02-24 | News

    Are you an assertive communicator?

    This was the question some of our beneficiaries, survivors of recent torture, reflected on and tried to answer as they participated yesterday in a workshop on assertive communication, held at RCTV Memoria’s office.

    The kind of communicator we are plays an important role in our lives: it is not only a matter of how we interact with other people but also of how we think and feel about ourselves. We are all somewhere along the spectrum between aggressive and passive communication. Some of us will find themselves in the middle and reap the benefits of being assertive communicators.

    When was the last time you said “no” to your best friend, or to your boss, without feeling guilty or anxious? Do you look people in the eyes when you talk to them? Do you easily ask others for help when you need it? Would you say your needs and rights are as important as everyone else’s? These are some of the traits that define an assertive communicator – they are firm, respectful and direct.

    Participants actively participated in the group discussion, practiced “I-messages” and how to provide constructive feedback. Feeling relaxed and enjoying each other’s company, they behaved like the young people that they are, laughing and throwing in some jokes.

    At the end, the performance of both facilitators to demonstrate the difference between active and passive communication was widely acclaimed, which makes us wonder whether RCTV Memoria might be a runner-up for the Oscars next Sunday!

    Are you an assertive communicator? Take the test and find out! 

    (Source: http://blogs.mutualofomaha.com/articles/2013/09/03/measuring-assertiveness/)

     

    This workshop is part of the plan of activities implemented by RCTV Memoria with the financial support of IRCT Centre Support Grant 2015-16.

     

    by Margarida Hourmat,

    EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria

  • 2016-02-05 | News

    RCTV Memoria in the media 2015

    JANUARY    

      APRIL

    26TH JUNE CAMPAIGN

    JULY

    SEPTEMBER

    NOVEMBER

    DECEMBER

    PRESS RELEASES

    OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE

    PROMO-LEX’S SOCIAL MEDIA (YouTube Channel)

    DEPARTMENT OF PENITENTIARY INSTITUTIONS’ WEBSITE

  • 2016-01-28 | News

    Memoria’s creative art club!

             Every Thursday afternoon, participants of the creative art club for beneficiaries “Dalia” meet at RCTV Memoria to create the most amazing garments. With support from the club facilitator who has great expertise in relaxation and sewing techniques the participants learn new skills and are given the opportunity to create their own products. As a volunteer at RCTV Memoria we have the opportunity to join the meetings and learn the same sewing techniques as the beneficiaries. Last week I, EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria since October 2015, attended it and was very impressed by what they are working on.

               The group of beneficiaries decides upon their own interest, what they want to do, but most are knitting, crocheting and embroidering traditional Moldovan blouses called ‘le’. These are beautifully decorated with various embroidered flowers and patterns, which take many hours to work on, but with encouragement from fellow participants, most items are being finalized within a few months. It was incredible to see how the more experienced helped me and a new participant because both of us were both struggling to get it right!

              Even though the women meet every week, most of the work is actually not taking place at the workshop itself. It is a good rehabilitation tool that encourages the beneficiaries to meet and discuss something not related to their previous experiences. Creating something new together connects people and we at RCTV Memoria see many benefits of this weekly club. In case you are interested to learn more about our work with beneficiaries, follow our Facebook page and news update on our homepage.

     

    By Elenore Andersson,

    EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria

  • 2016-01-28 | News

    Empowering survivors to overcome anxiety

    On 28 January, RCTV Memoria welcomed beneficiaries for a workshop session on anxiety management, targeting women and girls survivors of torture, domestic and sexual violence. Anxiety too often comes as a consequence of trauma but we are here to support our beneficiaries in identifying and developing coping strategies and problem-solving skills, promoting self-confidence and resilience so that they can control anxiety instead of letting it control their lives.

    The workshop provided participants with relevant information about what anxiety means, how it is different from fear and what strategies can be used to mitigate it, in combination with practical exercises that served as an opportunity to promote relaxation and to foster socialization among participants. 

    If anxiety is the problem, then relaxation is the key. But who ever relaxes just because they are told to do so? Pens and paper can help! Our participants were truly inspired and produced some beautiful Mandala pieces, expressing themselves through lively bright colours. Mandala colouring promotes a sense of inner balance and peace. And because sometimes “love is all you need”, participants had the opportunity to take a moment to get in touch with their feelings and share them: we asked them to choose a gesture or action with which to interact with Mişa, our a soft toy assistant, and afterwards to reproduce it with their neighbor on the left – a hug, a kiss, a smile was enough to lift everyone’s spirits.   

    What do participants have to say? According to the feedback we have received, the main highlight of this workshop was the usefulness of the information provided. One participant remarked: “I am very impressed by all that you do, it gives me hope and strength.”

    Earlier, the group had been asked to share a happy moment of their week: one participant answered that, for her, that moment had been visiting RCTV Memoria. Our beneficiaries inspire us every day; activities, such as this workshop, serve as important empowering tools for beneficiaries to rebuild their lives after trauma.  

     

    This workshop is part of the plan of activities within the project implemented by RCTV Memoria with the financial support of La Luz Grants 2015.

     

    Author: Margarida Hourmat,

    EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria

     

  • 2016-01-27 | News

    Supporting survivors in managing stress in their daily lives

           On 27 January, beneficiaries attended a workshop on stress management at RCTV Memoria, aimed specifically at survivors of recent torture. The purpose of the meeting was to provide them with relevant information and tools to face and effectively manage stress experienced daily in their live, in part as a consequence of the torture they were subjected to.

           Our beneficiaries were in good spirits as they arrived to our centre. For them, RCTV Memoria is a refuge, a place of hope and trust as they are supported by our dedicated staff in rebuilding their lives after trauma.

           Participants were provided with information regarding how stress can manifest, main strategies to confront it - summarized as a multidimensional model of overcoming stress. This happened in the best stress-free way possible: by watching not one, but two short animation movies, with laughter guaranteed!

          The highlight of the workshop came in the form of the interactive “Paiangeniş” exercise. One person held a ball of colourful wool at the centre of the room, representing time, while participants each held one line of thread while naming a source of stress in their lives. Afterwards, the person holding the ball began to turn, imitating the arms of a clock, and participants suggested a strategy to tackle their stress factor, based on the new knowledge acquired. In doing so, they also released their thread, symbolically committing themselves to eliminating this stress from their lives.

           Participants were enthusiastic and talkative, happy to learn and to contribute towards the dialogue within the group. A warm cup of tea concluded the evening’s work. According to the feedback received, it is safe to state that participants went home not only feeling more self-confident about their ability to handle stress but also looking forward to participate in similar future activities which foster contact and the exchange of ideas between people and ultimately build a sense of trust and belonging.

     

    This workshop is part of the plan of activities within a project implemented by RCTV Memoria with the financial support of La Luz Grants 2015.

     

    Author: Margarida Hourmat,

    EVS volunteer at RCTV Memoria