Milestii Mici Basement Renovation

Milestii Mici Community Center
We just finished putting on a new roof and windows on this old building destined to become a community center for local villagers and disabled children. The Moldovan Government gave this building to the community. The only problem was that it was falling apart due to a roof with many missing and old tiles. Several rooms (noted in the slide show) are to be work areas for handicapped children to learn some worthwhile skills. These skills may be the only thing that helps them survive in a country where handicapped individuals are largely ignored unfortunately. In the basement area, we may have a follow-on project to take on. These rooms were community showers and bath areas 30 years ago. They are now in total disrepair with old plumbing that is useless. We may be able to get a new boiler and then partner with the community to install new plumbing. This would allow the villagers to take showers once a week. The walls and floors would be redone by local villagers donating their time. Over and over, Rodna and I find so many people without basic necessities that we have taken for granted so long. (God forgive me when I whine, I have two legs, the world is mine,,, etc.)

Bunatate-Textile Manufacturer

BUNATATE
This little company is one of our NGO Partners. They manufacture a number of clothing (winter coats, police vests, raincoats, railroad winter suits, etc) for the military, local police as well as life jackets for Italy. They also make our wheel chair seat cushions. This organization is part of the Moldova Society of the Disabled. This is a unique company since many of the women and men who work here or work in their homes are disabled. They occupy an old soviet era building with only selected rooms heated. Some of this building cannot be used during the winter because the rooms are too cold.
Liubovi Denusenco is the director of Bunatate. She is a Russian woman who is disabled herself. You can see her picture in the slide show. Don't be fooled. She is tough as nails and she works extremely hard to keep all of her folks employed. Money and jobs are scarce hear. Moldova is the poorest country in Europe and these disabled people struggle to survive everyday. We (LDS Charities) use this company as often as we can. By the way, they make beautiful quilts.