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The following is an account of Tove experience in August 2023 as she joined TEECH from Sweden
A place where time has stopped by volunteer Tove Stattin, August 2023
In a red little fire truck packed with clothes, medical supplies, walkers, and hospital mattresses, we drive to Moldova from Sweden to make a difference. The journey takes four days and once in place, toilets with running water will be built at two schools and hundreds of boxes from the charities TEECH UK and TEECH Sweden will be distributed to those in need.
In the village of Sloveanca, during a home visit, we meet an elderly man with a friendly shy smile who does not have enough money to buy food. The gratitude for the food and clothes we bring is great and before we leave he goes and gets his accordion. Even though he hasn't played for two years, the melody is still in his fingers. As he plays, the mayor of the village sings along and the smile grows on his lips. While playing, the man looks to be at least 10 years younger than before.
We drive on the narrow uneven gravel roads that wind through the village and a little later we also meet an elderly lady sitting on a bed, with a colourful blanket as a bedspread. She crosses one leg, which is almost 10 centimeters shorter than the other, and says that it hurts today. But despite the pain, the joy shines in her eyes. Earlier today she managed to get out of the small house she lives in and has seen the sun for the first time in 1 year and 5 months thanks to the walker she received the day before. Her home is simple, small, and worn, but she still insists that we should bring a colourful tablecloth that she knitted herself before we leave. Another lady gave us pears and grapes from her garden during our visit. It feels strange to receive gifts from these people who have nothing, at the same time as their kindness is overwhelming and comes to your heart.
During a home visit in the village Mîndretşii Noi, we meet a man who sits in the shade outside a small simple house peeling fruit. He lights up when we arrive to shake his hand and leave a box of food and clothes. He excuses his somewhat weak handshake with a gentle smile, points to large scars on his arm, and explains that he was hit by a car several years ago. In the accident, he also lost one leg and is now confined to a wheelchair. Before the accident, he worked as a farmer and spent all day in the fields. The man shrugs his shoulders and says that what happens, happens, and that everything has a meaning. Since the accident, he can finally spend time with his wife and for the first time, he helps her with the cooking. Life really becomes what you make it and I am fascinated by the man's strength and attitude.
It's like time stopped here. In the villages, both street names and street numbers are missing, and we navigate our way to the poorest families with the greatest need of our support with help from the mayor who knows which families live where. The local health centres we visit, to leave medical supplies are small and simple. Here, patients' medical records are stored in physical booklets and the staff proudly shows off the only office equipped with a computer.
At a refugee centre outside Bălţi, Moldova's second-largest city, we meet children and adults who have fled the war in Ukraine. Here, families live in small, worn rooms, along long corridors. They tell us that the fridge they are sharing is broken and we promise to help them to arrange a new one. Together with the refugees, we unload the water, food, clothes, and bicycles that we have brought. Everyone helps out. Some of the children get help to learn to ride a bike and laughs and smiles quickly spread among the crowd. We make friends with a little girl after offering some sweets. She speaks in Ukrainian while we answer in Swedish. Even though we don't understand a word, we laugh and have fun together. It feels like everyone is one big family where everyone helps out and takes care of each other.
During our nine days on-site in Moldova, we are also building bathrooms at two schools. The new bathrooms are equipped with water toilets and the sinks are connected to a water heater to provide hot water in the taps. The bathrooms we are building replace the existing sheds that are outside in the schoolyard. The sheds consist of three booths each for boys and girls where each stall is provided with a hole in the floor. The idea is that you "do your thing" squatting over the hole and you can guess what it smells like on a sunny day with a temperature of 37°C.
After living at the schools for over a week, it feels very good to know that real toilets are waiting for the children after the summer holidays.
In a country where almost the entire working-age population moves abroad to work, development takes a long time and even though a lot has happened in the country in recent years, the need for help and support from elsewhere is still great. No one can change everything, but we can all do something. I would therefore like to conclude by thanking everyone who made the trip possible. Many thanks to all family, friends, colleagues, and companies who contributed with clothes, blankets, toys, and funding. Together we have made a difference.
In a red little fire truck packed with clothes, medical supplies, walkers, and hospital mattresses, we drive to Moldova from Sweden to make a difference. The journey takes four days and once in place, toilets with running water will be built at two schools and hundreds of boxes from the charities TEECH UK and TEECH Sweden will be distributed to those in need.
In the village of Sloveanca, during a home visit, we meet an elderly man with a friendly shy smile who does not have enough money to buy food. The gratitude for the food and clothes we bring is great and before we leave he goes and gets his accordion. Even though he hasn't played for two years, the melody is still in his fingers. As he plays, the mayor of the village sings along and the smile grows on his lips. While playing, the man looks to be at least 10 years younger than before.
We drive on the narrow uneven gravel roads that wind through the village and a little later we also meet an elderly lady sitting on a bed, with a colourful blanket as a bedspread. She crosses one leg, which is almost 10 centimeters shorter than the other, and says that it hurts today. But despite the pain, the joy shines in her eyes. Earlier today she managed to get out of the small house she lives in and has seen the sun for the first time in 1 year and 5 months thanks to the walker she received the day before. Her home is simple, small, and worn, but she still insists that we should bring a colourful tablecloth that she knitted herself before we leave. Another lady gave us pears and grapes from her garden during our visit. It feels strange to receive gifts from these people who have nothing, at the same time as their kindness is overwhelming and comes to your heart.
During a home visit in the village Mîndretşii Noi, we meet a man who sits in the shade outside a small simple house peeling fruit. He lights up when we arrive to shake his hand and leave a box of food and clothes. He excuses his somewhat weak handshake with a gentle smile, points to large scars on his arm, and explains that he was hit by a car several years ago. In the accident, he also lost one leg and is now confined to a wheelchair. Before the accident, he worked as a farmer and spent all day in the fields. The man shrugs his shoulders and says that what happens, happens, and that everything has a meaning. Since the accident, he can finally spend time with his wife and for the first time, he helps her with the cooking. Life really becomes what you make it and I am fascinated by the man's strength and attitude.
It's like time stopped here. In the villages, both street names and street numbers are missing, and we navigate our way to the poorest families with the greatest need of our support with help from the mayor who knows which families live where. The local health centres we visit, to leave medical supplies are small and simple. Here, patients' medical records are stored in physical booklets and the staff proudly shows off the only office equipped with a computer.
At a refugee centre outside Bălţi, Moldova's second-largest city, we meet children and adults who have fled the war in Ukraine. Here, families live in small, worn rooms, along long corridors. They tell us that the fridge they are sharing is broken and we promise to help them to arrange a new one. Together with the refugees, we unload the water, food, clothes, and bicycles that we have brought. Everyone helps out. Some of the children get help to learn to ride a bike and laughs and smiles quickly spread among the crowd. We make friends with a little girl after offering some sweets. She speaks in Ukrainian while we answer in Swedish. Even though we don't understand a word, we laugh and have fun together. It feels like everyone is one big family where everyone helps out and takes care of each other.
During our nine days on-site in Moldova, we are also building bathrooms at two schools. The new bathrooms are equipped with water toilets and the sinks are connected to a water heater to provide hot water in the taps. The bathrooms we are building replace the existing sheds that are outside in the schoolyard. The sheds consist of three booths each for boys and girls where each stall is provided with a hole in the floor. The idea is that you "do your thing" squatting over the hole and you can guess what it smells like on a sunny day with a temperature of 37°C.
After living at the schools for over a week, it feels very good to know that real toilets are waiting for the children after the summer holidays.
In a country where almost the entire working-age population moves abroad to work, development takes a long time and even though a lot has happened in the country in recent years, the need for help and support from elsewhere is still great. No one can change everything, but we can all do something. I would therefore like to conclude by thanking everyone who made the trip possible. Many thanks to all family, friends, colleagues, and companies who contributed with clothes, blankets, toys, and funding. Together we have made a difference.
Thank you to Reform Magazine for featuring TEECH in their December news:
Reform’s giving guide | Reform Magazine (reform-magazine.co.uk)
Reform’s giving guide | Reform Magazine (reform-magazine.co.uk)
Interviewing Ukrainian Refugees on the June 2022 trip
See the Photo Gallery for both the March and June 2022 trips to Moldova to support Ukrainians
New Trustee and volunteer steve, article in ford magazine
andy makes masks and fund raises for teech
Volunteer Andy Fitt has been busy making face coverings and selling them at Hale Newsagents, Woodfalls for the last few months, raising nearly £500 (with more on sale). Andy, who works at the newsagents, would like to thank Phillipa (pictured below, left) for the loan of the sewing machine and for allowing the masks to be sold, for donations in the shop. Andy started the venture when friend Anja (right), required protection when visiting the elderly to support them in their homes.
thank you - Billericay mayflower
TEECH expresses thanks to the Rotary Club of Billericay Mayflower for a donation of £800 towards the summer project. TEECH were welcomed in February at their weekly meeting, to explain the work of the charity and share pictures from last years project. The funding will go towards purchasing the sanitary ware (toilets/sinks) for the new bathrooms.
thank you - Merchiston Castle School
A young gentleman from Moldova, who joined TEECH in the summer of 2017, is now studying at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. Daniel was connected to TEECH through the US Peace Corp, who met and encouraged him and a friend to volunteer with a charity, of the country in which he would then go onto study in. He has gone on to raise funds for TEECH will fellow students.
Daniel provided the following message with the donation:
I heard about TEECH in the summer of 2017. A friend of mine who is Peace Corp Volunteer in Moldova knew that I was going to study in UK, so he invited me to join this project in order to meet the British people, get used to the accent and ask more about the life in UK. Me and my friend gladly accepted the invitation and joined the group for 3 days. We were working hard during the day and then having really good chat in the evenings.
This gave us the opportunity to help refurbishing a school in a local region as well as getting to know wonderful people from UK and Sweden.
When asked for a charity in school this is the only one I could have thought of. I am glad we could make a contribution, as these people do actually make a change in Moldova. A change that we need.
Thanks goes to Daniel and fellow students at the school for fundraising for TEECH.
Daniel provided the following message with the donation:
I heard about TEECH in the summer of 2017. A friend of mine who is Peace Corp Volunteer in Moldova knew that I was going to study in UK, so he invited me to join this project in order to meet the British people, get used to the accent and ask more about the life in UK. Me and my friend gladly accepted the invitation and joined the group for 3 days. We were working hard during the day and then having really good chat in the evenings.
This gave us the opportunity to help refurbishing a school in a local region as well as getting to know wonderful people from UK and Sweden.
When asked for a charity in school this is the only one I could have thought of. I am glad we could make a contribution, as these people do actually make a change in Moldova. A change that we need.
Thanks goes to Daniel and fellow students at the school for fundraising for TEECH.
premier print & promotions
The Essex based print company have supported TEECH for two years with the shoebox appeal, printing leaftlets and donating travel mugs for use by volunteers on trips. Now the company is promoting the charities they support on their website. Click here to see more.
GFM support Christmas 2018
Colchester based customer experience agency GFM ClearComms is getting into the festive spirit this year by launching a ‘12 Days Till Christmas’ charity campaign, whereby every day from December 13th up until Christmas Day the company will be holding a charitable event in aid of a different UK based charity.
Bringing the campaign to an astounding conclusion on Christmas day, Justin Stone, Contact Centre Manager at GFM ClearComms, will be walking a staggering 55 miles from Colchester to London to fundraise for mental health charity Mind. The other local and national based charities that were chosen by members of staff to receive donations of money, time, food, toys or clothes will be; Barnardo’s, Beacon House, Colchester Food Bank, Colchester Hospital, Essex Wildlife Trust, MS UK, Save the Children, St Helena Hospice and TEECH.
As if this wasn’t enough, to coincide with this charity initiative GFM ClearComms will also be bringing further Christmas cheer to their offices through a variety of Christmas themed activities for employees including; Secret Santa, Christmas Jumper Day, a ‘Decorate your Department’ competition and an end of year Christmas Party.
To find out exactly what the company will be doing each day of their ’12 Days Till Christmas’ charity campaign check out their website (www.gfmclearcomms.co.uk) and social media channels where they will be revealing the full details of each event daily in an advent calendar style fashion.
Bringing the campaign to an astounding conclusion on Christmas day, Justin Stone, Contact Centre Manager at GFM ClearComms, will be walking a staggering 55 miles from Colchester to London to fundraise for mental health charity Mind. The other local and national based charities that were chosen by members of staff to receive donations of money, time, food, toys or clothes will be; Barnardo’s, Beacon House, Colchester Food Bank, Colchester Hospital, Essex Wildlife Trust, MS UK, Save the Children, St Helena Hospice and TEECH.
As if this wasn’t enough, to coincide with this charity initiative GFM ClearComms will also be bringing further Christmas cheer to their offices through a variety of Christmas themed activities for employees including; Secret Santa, Christmas Jumper Day, a ‘Decorate your Department’ competition and an end of year Christmas Party.
To find out exactly what the company will be doing each day of their ’12 Days Till Christmas’ charity campaign check out their website (www.gfmclearcomms.co.uk) and social media channels where they will be revealing the full details of each event daily in an advent calendar style fashion.
our Swedish volunteers make the news
The siblings Susanne and Danne Stattin travelled from Sweden to be part of the TEECH project in Hasnasenii Noi. With 1000 kg of aid gathered from friends and families they drove over 5600 km in a VW-sponsored van. The article from the local paper in Södertälje tells about the preparations for the trip and all efforts to bring the aid to Moldova. It also tells about the TEECH project on site at the school. Nice with such good publicity.
2017 shoebox appeal
The shoebox appeal trip went extremely well and the team are back from hand delivering presents to Romania and Moldova.
The January newsletter provides an account of the trip along with photos of all the boxes kindly donated.
The January newsletter provides an account of the trip along with photos of all the boxes kindly donated.
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mobility equipment
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Huge thanks to Essex Cares Equipment Service for the donation of beds, walking aids, standing aids, seats and much more. All will be taken to Moldova where they are in great need of medical aids and will be used for many years to come. Thanks from all at TEECH. |
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20 years.......1997 to 2017!
Read about the last 20 years of volunteering and the start of TEECH from Co-Founder Vic Tallowin in our March Newsletter by clicking here.
thank you dvlc
Thanks goes to the Colchester District Scooter Club for their generous donation of £500 towards the Christmas Shoebox trip. The club have sponsored TEECH for a number of years, for which the charity are most grateful. The team will purchase items for donation, including making up food parcels.
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Thank you to Mohanji ACT Foundation UK who have donated one ton of food items and Sathya Sai Centre of Harrow West donated the Christmas gift boxes. We have also received donations from Stuart Road Primary School, Plymouth who had some help from their local Coop, plus the Land Registry in Plymouth.
the team arrive back from a successful trip
The team of volunteers, as seen below, returned from another successful trip to Moldova at the end of August. See the September newsletter for an account of the trip.
Click here to see which companies supported the charity project this year.
Click here to see which companies supported the charity project this year.
volunteer rab's account of the summer project
christmas 2015 shoebox appeal
Thank you to all those who donated shoebox presents. TEECH were lucky enough to receive approximately 1,700 boxes, which have now been delivered. A report of the trip will be on the website soon, but some photos can be viewed here. The picture below was sent through from Zoltan a teacher at a small school in the village of Maiad, Romania. He handed out the gifts when the children returned to school after the holidays.
Many Thanks from all at TEECH to those who donated boxes and made the trip possible.
Many Thanks from all at TEECH to those who donated boxes and made the trip possible.
a nice MESSAGE from romania
Reka, a school teacher in Romania sent the following message along with pictures of the children at the school when she handed out shoebox presents from TEECH are Christmas (2015):
I read about your successful trip...it was a big surprise seeing my card there.It really touched my heart...that you appreciate such small things.The kids were very surprised when they got the shoeboxes...they send you many thanks...the next day the whole school asked why the rest of the forms didn't get...I said, this year the 6.th grade had the privilege.Thanks very much for the dictionary and for the scarf and gloves....for everything.My two sons were so happy...I haven't see them so excited before.I send you some photos.Thanks again.You are amazing!
I read about your successful trip...it was a big surprise seeing my card there.It really touched my heart...that you appreciate such small things.The kids were very surprised when they got the shoeboxes...they send you many thanks...the next day the whole school asked why the rest of the forms didn't get...I said, this year the 6.th grade had the privilege.Thanks very much for the dictionary and for the scarf and gloves....for everything.My two sons were so happy...I haven't see them so excited before.I send you some photos.Thanks again.You are amazing!
teech presented with certificate
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TEECH were presented with a Gratitude certificate from Stan at Nisporeni Dental Hospital during the Christmas 2015 trip. The certificate was a thanks to the charity from Nisporeni for the aid, support and aid donations provided over the last few years. TEECH were really please with the recognition.
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hospital beds donatedThanks goes to Mary Rothwell who obtained hospital beds from the maternity unit in Harwich, Essex which were then delivered and donated to Nisporeni Hospital in Moldova.
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volunteer makes article in swedish newspaper
"Alla barn har ratt till en bra miljo"
"All children have a right to a healthy environment"
"All children have a right to a healthy environment"
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the british ambassadorDuring the 2014 trip to Balanesti, TEECH were joined by the British Ambassador Phil Batson and his Embassy team for the day.
To see who all our fantastic sponsor's are, please click here. They make a huge difference by donating items, lending vehicles or supporting us in other ways to help make the summer project trip possible. To view photos from the summer 2014 project please click here. The Embassy team returned and joined TEECH in Bolduresti during the August 2015 trip also. |
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stuart road primary school, plymouth
The children and teachers at Stuart Road Primary School continue to support TEECH and have just held a 'think of others day' at their school to raise awareness of the work of TEECH and collect donations.
Sandra from the school says "The school ran a mufti day inviting families of children from our school to donate good quality items of clothing and soft furnishings in return for wearing casual clothes instead of school uniform, which also helped raise awareness of your campaign. Our Headteacher also held a special whole school assembly explaining the work you do and this has gained a fantastic response of donations from our families. We collected a total of 22 black bags and 14 big boxes which we hope will help your cause.
TEECH would like to thank the teachers, parents and pupils for all their support.
Sandra from the school says "The school ran a mufti day inviting families of children from our school to donate good quality items of clothing and soft furnishings in return for wearing casual clothes instead of school uniform, which also helped raise awareness of your campaign. Our Headteacher also held a special whole school assembly explaining the work you do and this has gained a fantastic response of donations from our families. We collected a total of 22 black bags and 14 big boxes which we hope will help your cause.
TEECH would like to thank the teachers, parents and pupils for all their support.
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