QUESTIONS & aNSWERS
If Switzerland plans a residential old age home for the elderly in Moldavia, isn’t there a danger that it will be built too costly and end looking like a palace sticking out among run-down houses?
It is a great concern to us that the project isn’t built by us Swiss but in cooperation. From the beginning of the planning works, we are continuously discussing things with the Moldavians of Cahul.
Room sizes, sanitary installations, available workforce etc. cannot be compared to our standards. In Switzerland, the living space for a single occupant is estimated to be 21 square meters, with a toilet and a shower in every room. In Cahul, 2 – 3 retirees would share such a room, and sanitary installations would be shared among all occupants of a floor. Nevertheless the people feel very privileged in that situation, as they were previously living in run-down apartments.
We want to build simple, but in good quality. Operating costs of the finished home should be as low as possible. For this reason we are emphasizing good building isolation and will make sensible use of renewable energy sources.
What role does religion play?
In Moldavia most people are members of the Orthodox Church. The Moldavians are generally a god-fearing people. Traditions and customs are important pillars to many of them. We take these circumstances into consideration. People should be able to live their faith and beliefs in the ways that suit them. The door must be open to all people regardless of their origin, culture or religion.
How big is the part of donated funds that will be used for management/administration of the Moldavia Bridge organization?
That part is nil. Owing to the fact that our work here in Switzerland is done for free by volunteers, every Frank donated to the project will be spent entirely on the retirement home in Cahul.
What will be the operating costs of that home? Where will that money come from?
At present, we only have rough estimates at hand. We estimate that the average costs per person will be 250 Euro per month. Obviously this value depends on how much nursing and personal care an individual retiree will need, so personnel costs will vary per case.
Our main focus are people who are socially disadvantaged. Of course we always check first with family and relatives whether they can help carry the costs. Unfortunately, such inquiries are often unsuccessful. Since we cannot count on support by the Moldavian government either, operating costs will require donations as well – we are going to seek sponsorship by individuals.
Furthermore, we are looking for ways the retirees themselves can contribute to their upkeep, be it with garden work (growing vegetables), small animal husbandry, or handicraft that will be sold on the market. At the very least, this will provide occupants with meaningful activities, even if it does not achieve any large profits.