SLOVAKIA | March 8, 2022: Dispatch of generators

We have mobilized our partners to support Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries, who find themselves without water and electricity, and with a very limited mobile network. For this reason, on March 8, 2022, in coordination with the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Red Cross, materials were sent to Slovakia, including:

• 10 3kVA generators.
• 10 protective boxes.
• 10 electric cable reels.

Our goal is to meet the needs of displaced persons in Slovakia, especially for the recharging of means of communication, the daily and essential needs of access to water, and electricity for food and heating.

MOLDOVA | From March 19 to April 3, 2022: Sending a team of volunteers

The context

From March 19 to April 3, 2022, a team of four volunteers (Devi, Matthieu, Alexis and Tristan) were sent to Moldova, in coordination with the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and our partners. The purpose was to transport and install generators in seventeen Moldovan hospitals, and to train local teams in their maintenance.

Our action

Electriciens sans frontières’ action is initially focused on seventeen hospitals in several large Moldavian cities where generators have been transported and connected, after consultation with the local authorities.

Our action thus allows us to anticipate massive influxes of civilians and to respond as best we can to the needs of refugee families who require access to care and aid. At the same time, these actions increase the resilience of the relevant Moldovan hospitals, and uphold the necessary infrastructure. 

MOLDOVA | June 19 to July 3: Second team of volunteers

The context

As a follow-up to the March-April mission, a second team of Electriciens sans frontières volunteers went to Moldova from June 19th to July 3rd. Electriciens sans frontières is still supporting Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries alongside the Crisis and Support Center of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Our action

During their two-week mission in Moldova, our volunteers implemented the following actions:

• Meeting with First Counselor Marc Ivarra, Counselor for Cooperation and Cultural Action of the French Embassy in Moldova.
• Carrying out feasibility studies in 13 new sites prior to the installation of new generators: estimating the power of the generators needed for the connections to the desired buildings; technical support and expertise.
• Carrying out works: automation of generators; cable pulling and technical support; meetings with Moldovan energy distributors (Premier Energy and Red nord).
• Survey of 15 hospitals that benefited from the first GEs sent in March 2022.

Electriciens sans frontières was also requested by the humanitarian foundation AICM Ukraine (International Association for Medical Cooperation), in order to support the mobile operational units established after the bombing of the hospitals by providing 10 generators (10 kVA), which were ready to be installed (prepared in advance by Electriciens sans frontières). The generators will provide the necessary power to enable critical post-emergency medical activities. Approximately 500 solar lamps will be provided to displaced families to provide lighting and recharge cell phone batteries, maintaining communications between separated people.
Further aid was requested to support the health centres which cover the needs of displaced families, by providing 8 generators (6-10 kVA) to meet their basic electrical needs. Approximately 500 additional solar lamps will also be provided to these families.

Electriciens sans frontières deploys skills and resources

During this mission, we have realized:

• The delivery of 17 generators to Moldovan hospitals, 10 generators to mobile operational units, and 8 generators to health centres.
• Training of Moldovan personnel for the maintenance and operation of generators in each hospital.
• The complete installation and connection of 5 generators in several Moldovan hospitals as well as the preparation and realization of about 12 technical studies in order to connect the remaining generators.
• Solar lamps provided to displaced families.

The direct and indirect beneficiaries of our action:

• Health care workers from the 17 hospitals.
• Patients in 17 hospitals connected to generators.

To date, we are still in contact with the local teams and the Moldovan authorities to ensure that the generators connected to the hospitals are working properly. We also stay in touch to follow the progress of the works in some hospitals. An additional team from Electriciens sans frontières should be sent in a second time, to finalize the installation of the generators and to ensure the security of the connections in the Moldovan hospitals currently under construction.

However, our action will not stop here and the support we receive will be decisive in defining, adapting and enriching the needs associated with the conflict. 

Further actions involve continuing the work on the power generators which have already been sent to Moldova and assessing the needs in a changing situation. Additionally, a team is positioned to intervene in Poland to secure electrical facilities in refugee camps. This intervention is prepared to assess the needs in a changing situation. Electriciens sans frontières will continue to intervene and aid, in whichever way, to help to cope with the arrival of new refugees, and possible expansions of the war. Therefore, additional support is essential and may help to strengthen and improve the breadth and depth of the aid provided to Ukraine, its neighbouring countries, and all the displaced or otherwise affected families and people.