New Perspectives for Women

Regional Support Centers

New Perspectives for Women

EDINE EDINE

BLI BLI

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

CHIINU CHIINU
HNCETI HNCETI

EDINET The Club, Woman and Society Address: 2, Valentin Rosca St. Phone: (0 246) 25709 Fax: (0 246) 23464 Email: edinet@winrock.org.md alexm@mtc-ed.md Director Elena Carpov BALTI The Honor and the Rights of Contemporary Women, NGO Address:144, Decebal St. Phone: (0 231) 70778, fax: (0 231) 70149 Email: balti@winrock.org.md olgapatlati@mail.ru Director Olga Patlati Partnering with Private Initiative Center Address: 3, Tiraspol St., app.69 Director Lilia Banuh

COMRAT

COMRAT

COMRAT Association of the Women of Gagauz-Yeri (autonomous region) Address: 43, Pobeda St. Phone/Fax: (0 298) 21051 Phone: (0 298) 21050 Email: comrat@winrock.org.md women_g@mail.ru Director Svetlana Panaitova

CAHUL

CAHUL

HINCESTI Woman - Equal Partner NGO Address: 108, Mihalcea Hincu St., fl. 2 Phone: (0 269) 22365 Email: hincesti@winrock.org.md vgak@rambler.ru Director Valentina Gak

CAHUL Business Women Association FEMIDA Address: 37, Vasile Stroescu St., app. 16 Phone/Fax: (0 299) 23565 Phone: (0 299) 33545 Email: cahul@winrock.org.md afafemida@yahoo.com Director Svetlana Moraru

Winrock International Stefan cel Mare 65, of. 603 Chisinau, MD-2001 Republic of Moldova

Phone: +37322.271.290 Fax: +37322.272.489 Email: info@winrock.org.md www.winrock.org.md

Chisinau 2005

New Perspectives for Women

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Chisinau 2005

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Myth Reality

I see no future for myself in Moldova.

Strange that you see prospects for yourself in a foreign country with no language skills and no professional background. Youth is a wonderful time. By going abroad illegally and unprepared you run the risk of being exploited or forced into prostitution. Is this what you really want? Is it really a "good" opportunity to settle down by doing domestic chores? What if your foreign husband is strict and controlling? And what if he is not the man of your dreams?

"Because we are young we should go abroad to realize our individual potential and to earn money for our future.

This publication was made possible through support provided by U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission for Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, under the terms of Grant No. 121-A-00-04-00009-00. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

"Foreign men adore Moldovan girls - we are attractive, good mothers and housewives. Marriage to a foreigner is an opportunity to settle down and start a life.

Printed in the Republic of Moldova Copyright 2005 by Winrock International

"For the second time my friend has gone to Greece to work as a waitress in a bar. She liked it there. She makes a good salary, has interesting work, she is able to buy things... I want this too. Why not?

Your friend is really lucky! She is one of just a few who aren't caught in a trap. Or maybe she benefits by advertising "a good life" abroad and is recruiting other women with false information. Or she has no courage to tell you the truth.

Myth

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Reality

Myth

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Reality

"Working as a cleaner or a waitress abroad you can earn more in a shorter time than working in a more prestigious position at home

At what price? Are you willing to run the risk of being exploited or abused or ?

I see no future for myself in Moldova.

Strange that you see prospects for yourself in a foreign country with no language skills and no professional background.

"Nobody needs us in Moldova.

That's not true. You are needed by your f a m i l y, f r i e n d s a n d community.

"Because we are young we should go abroad to realize our individual potential and to earn money for our future.

Youth is a wonderful time. By going abroad illegally and unprepared you run the risk of being exploited or forced into prostitution. Is this what you really want?

"My relatives work there so they can help me to find employment.

Do your relatives work for employment agencies or are they representatives of some legal employment agency? What kind of work can they offer you? Is it legal?

"Foreign men adore Moldovan girls - we are attractive, good mothers and housewives. Marriage to a foreigner is an opportunity to settle down and start a life.

Is it really a "good" opportunity to settle down by doing domestic chores? What if your foreign husband is strict and controlling? And what if he is not the man of your dreams?

"If there is no happiness in the mother land one should search for it somewhere else.

It might be difficult for you to face the truth, but the grass is not always greener on the other side. Don't delude yourself about life abroad. There is NO guarantee that it will be better than life here in Moldova.

"For the second time my friend has gone to Greece to work as a waitress in a bar. She liked it there. She makes a good salary, has interesting work, she is able to buy things... I want this too. Why not?

Your friend is really lucky! She is one of just a few who aren't caught in a trap. Or maybe she benefits by advertising "a good life" abroad and is recruiting other women with false information. Or she has no courage to tell you the truth.

Myth

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Reality

Myth

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Reality

"I can always find a job abroad, even as a prostitute. I'll just forget about what I did after I come back.

It isn't such an easy thing to forget. In fact, you will never, ever forget. Prostitution is not a glamorous lifestyle. There are serious physical and psychological problems resulting in illness. What if you never are able to have children?

"One can start a new life in a new place.

A new life? It is next to impossible to call it a life if you are abused, battered, enslaved or forced into prostitution to serve 15 to 20 men per night.

"There are no jobs at home and I have to survive somehow.

Are you sure there are no jobs? Have you done a serious job search? The opportunities for work in Moldova are out there, but you need to look for them. Trust your efforts. Grow your skills.

"Working abroad, even though illegally, will enable me to see the world, to learn its culture and traditions, to use my language skills.

Traveling as a tourist is a splendid way to do all this. As an illegal immigrant, your chances of being exploited are greater and if caught you maybe jailed for months or deported.

"It is a good thing to leave Moldova.

What if you never came back again? What if you were entrapped? There are many, many Moldovans who went abroad for work and are considered missing. Don't put yourself at risk

"A poor starving woman would never listen to the "horrors" of illegal employment abroad. She would take the risk.

Right, she might take the risks, and by doing so, she is playing into the hands of traffickers.

"One can get a resident permit. Others can meet a foreigner and get married.

Be aware of legislation regulating marriages and immigrants in a foreign country. Rules are extremely strict. Do you know the regulations regarding immigration and marriage for your destination country?

"This can happen to anyone but me. This would never happen to me.

Don't be naive. This is what everyone thinks before he/she entrust their life to human traffickers. Why do you think you will be an exception?

Myth

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Reality

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

"I want to get married to a foreigner because they are not like Moldavian men. They are smart, they don't drink, they work, they respect women.

O.K. Cindirella , if you think so you can thank television, magazines and fairytales for these images. Traffickers benefit if you think this way. Foreign men are not any smarter, more respectful, harder working, or less likely to drink than any other man.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Winrock International, implementers of the project New Perspectives for Women, creates opportunities for a better future for women (16-24) through integrated economic empowerment and crisis prevention programs, consulting services and a complex network of referral support services. Assistance and Support Services Objective: Strengthen provision of services by Moldovan NGOs to address the needs of young rural women Trainings - Personal Leadership - Working Abroad: Myths and Realities - Two Points of View on Violence Surveys: Baseline & Others, Knowledge, Attitudes & Practices (KAP) Confidentiality Services: - Psychological counseling - Peer support groups - Legal aid - Medical and other referrals Help line assistance Development of Employment and Business Opportunities Objective: Improve the ability of rural and young women to find local alternatives for employment and/or small business creation as an alternative to employment offered abroad. Entrepreneurship and employment trainings - Leadership for Employability - Vocational/Skills Courses - Could I be an Entrepreneur? - Am I an Entrepreneur? - Leadership for Entrepreneurship Internship and mentoring programs Targeted referrals to support services - Crediting consultancy - Drop-in for job search strategies - One-on one consultations for small business development Special agricultural enhancement programs for youth

Answer the following questions. Are you a determined young woman? Are you the master of your own destiny?
While you live in your native land you have choices. You have freedoms. You have legal status. Don't exchange these benefits for servitude. Your enthusiasm, knowledge and work will always help you to get an adequate position in a difficult world - even here in Moldova. Are you ambitious? Take initiative. Learn new skills, develop your talents, start your own business or search for a job. Don't wait for someone to give you a job. Use your ambition to design the work you desire. Opportunity exits for those who seek it. Remember, trafficking in humans is an organized crime. It doesn't happen accidentally. At the railway or bus station, maybe at your school or university, or in your village, you may be approached by a stranger, a "kind" person, who offers to help just you. Not by accident, you will owe them a significant amount of money. To pay off this debt, you will work under unbearable terms that at this moment you can't imagine. Everything is planned and orchestrated since this is a very profitable business. Don't sell your life and destiny to crooks. You are a simply tool for earning money for the trafficker. Wouldn't it be better to look for what you want where you are? By gathering accurate information and new skills you can build a better life. Start today. There's no time like the present. Do you have lots of questions? Would you like clear, professional answers? New Perspectives for Women has answers! Our Regional Support Centers offer confidentiality, advice, consultations and trainings.

Call today!

All services are free.

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

Myths and Realities About Going Abroad

New Perspectives for Women, through its Regional Support Centers and Mobile Technical Units provides young women with employment training, psychological counseling, peer support groups, legal aid, information and referral mechanism, and assists them in making career decisions.

New Perspectives for Women

New Perspectives for Women

Regional Support Centers
EDINET The Club, Woman and Society Address: 2, Valentin Rosca St. Phone: (0 246) 25709 Fax: (0 246) 23464 Email: edinet@winrock.org.md alexm@mtc-ed.md Director Elena Carpov BALTI The Honor and the Rights of Contemporary Women, NGO Address:144, Decebal St. Phone: (0 231) 70778, fax: (0 231) 70149 Email: balti@winrock.org.md olgapatlati@mail.ru Director Olga Patlati Partnering with Private Initiative Center Address: 3, Tiraspol St., app.69 Director Lilia Banuh HINCESTI Woman - Equal Partner NGO Address: 108, Mihalcea Hincu St., fl. 2 Phone: (0 269) 22365 Email: hincesti@winrock.org.md vgak@rambler.ru Director Valentina Gak CAHUL Business Women Association FEMIDA Address: 37, Vasile Stroescu St., app. 16 Phone/Fax: (0 299) 23565 Phone: (0 299) 33545 Email: cahul@winrock.org.md afafemida@yahoo.com Director Svetlana Moraru

For more information contact the Information Coordinator

65, Stefan cel Mare si Sfint blvd, Office 603 Chisinau, MD-2001, Republic of Moldova, Tel.: +373 (22) 271 290 Fax: +373 (22) 272 489 info@winrock.org.md www.winrock.org.md

COMRAT Association of the Women of Gagauz-Yeri (autonomous region) Address: 43, Pobeda St. Phone/Fax: (0 298) 21051 Phone: (0 298) 21050 Email: comrat@winrock.org.md women_g@mail.ru Director Svetlana Panaitova