On December 16, 2017 the annual meeting of the network "Family & Community" was held in Edinet town. 154 team members and other stakeholders involved in the project “Improving family protection and preservation at the local level by developing community advocacy capacities” participated in the event. The project is implemented by Moldovan Christian Aid in partnership with Nursing Association from the Republic of Moldova and Hilfswerk Austria with the financial support of the European Union and Austrian Development Cooperation within the regional program Social assistants in Collaboration for Social Change in Eastern Neighborhoods Countries. During the meeting 9 multidisciplinary teams from the target villages presented the advocacy campaigns they have implemented and the results and effects it had in the community.
The annual meeting started with the introduction speech of the project coordinator who summed up the project, challenges, outputs and achievements up until now. It continued with the presentations of the local teams that confirmed the summary of the MCA staff and added new relevant information on the difficulties and results of the community campaign implementation. The participants learned from the experience of other in that way. In addition every team performed a song or a poem that created a warmer atmosphere at the event. Among the participants in the meeting were people of different ages and vocations such as social workers, teachers, priests, nurses, village mayors and other representatives of local authorities as well as adult and young volunteers. The event ended up with awarding the most active members of the multidisciplinary teams and the evaluation session.
The annual meeting was a great opportunity for the people form different teams to communicate, interact, exchange contacts, establish partnerships that will bring useful outcomes in the nearest future. Moreover the participants shared from their experiences in the sphere of organizing advocacy campaigns and social work in general.