IT equipment worth $1.41 million for frontline social workers

Chisinau, April 15. UNICEF, with support from the Government of the United Kingdom, donated IT equipment worth $1.41 million to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The shipment includes 1,347 desktop computers and 579 laptops, which will be distributed among the Agencies and Territorial Social Assistance Structures (ATAS and STAS).

For the first time, every social worker in the country will receive modern IT equipment essential for their work. Community social workers and child rights protection specialists will digitize services and workflows, providing greater accessibility for beneficiaries of social services and benefits.

"It is very difficult to offer effective intervention without access to advanced information technology. Therefore, as part of this event, we are donating over 1,500 pieces of advanced IT equipment to all our frontline colleagues, social workers, and child rights specialists. Our partners at UNICEF have always supported us in this endeavor. They are our most important partners in the development and implementation of the "Restart" reform, and I want to express my deep gratitude to them.

Dear social workers, my colleagues and I always think of you. We think of the courage and determination with which you fight every day for your beneficiaries. I am proud of you, and I want you to know that", emphasized Alexei Buzu, Minister of Labor and Social Protection.

"UNICEF is committed to strengthening the social protection system through technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives for social workers, and the provision of essential IT equipment. These efforts aim to empower frontline workers who play a vital role in addressing the urgent needs of vulnerable groups. We express our appreciation to the FCDO for their generous contribution during Moldova’s most challenging times. This support will significantly strengthen the child protection system, enabling us to provide faster and higher-quality services to children and families in need, including refugees", highlighted Maha Damaj, UNICEF Representative in Moldova, at the event.

Digitizing the social assistance system will help social workers manage and monitor data on children from vulnerable families at risk, analyze data faster, and make appropriate decisions. In turn, children and their families will have easier access to social benefits.

"I am absolutely convinced that this equipment will reach exactly where it is needed and, together with the technical assistance provided, will bring about the changes the Ministry seeks through the ambitious "Restart" reform. This assistance is offered under the United Kingdom’s Humanitarian Fund for the region. Through this support, the UK has been assisting the Republic of Moldova since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Strengthening systems, particularly the social assistance system, has been our priority to make it more resilient to crises and capable of providing the necessary services to Moldova’s vulnerable population", stated Pippa Brown, Humanitarian Advisor at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

With the support of partner governments, UNICEF aims to assist the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection in implementing the "Restart" reform and contributing to the improvement of the social assistance system, ensuring equal access for vulnerable populations to quality social services.

As a result of the unification of social assistance across Moldova, improved social services will be available in all districts and for all categories of vulnerable populations, particularly children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.