Civil society from both banks gain essential project-writing skills at OSCE Mission to Moldova workshop

Between 31 July and 2 August 2015, the OSCE Mission to Moldova gathered civil society representatives from both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River for a workshop to enhance their project-writing skills when applying for donor funding. The event was held in Vadul-lui-Vodă, a town by the river, and focused both on the technical aspects of writing proposals as well as on identifying common issues on which participants could create equitable and sustainable partnerships.

Taking part in the event were 24 representatives of local organizations and initiative groups active on the right and left banks on a range of issues, including national minorities, social inclusion, youth, community development, legal aid and the environment.

“Communication is essential when establishing a partnership on a common project idea,” said Viorica Matas from the Center of Social Services for Children and Family in Chisinau. “This workshop provided a platform for communication and knowledge sharing that helped us to learn about our partners and to identify synergies. This will make the process of writing a project much easier and more efficient.”

The seminar was organized at the request of grassroots organizations involved in the Mission’s on-going project on “Building Effective Partnerships – Engaging Civil Society in the Conflict Resolution Process.” The overall goal of the project is to encourage the active participation of civil society to work co-operatively in finding solutions to the common challenges facing citizens on both banks of the Dniester/Nistru River.