Since the eruption of the war, more than 5 million refugees have entered EU countries and enjoy free movement and hospitality across their whole territory. Not having documents, some refugees get stuck in bordering countries. Moldova is one of them. Here, the “FRIȘPA” (Faculty of International Relations, Political Sciences, and Public Administration) refugee center hosts mainly Ukrainian Roma refugees. This series, as a participatory project, documents their life since the beginning of the war. 

A high percentage of Roma people are undocumented due partially to the systematic discrimination in their home country. Their options are therefore very limited. One has to stay in the “FRISPA” refugee center, due to the segregation, or they can only choose to apply for asylum in neighboring Romania. The second is a less appealing option for most because it would mean having to navigate a foreign language and being much further from home.

A group of people standing in line outdoors, with an elderly woman in a colorful headscarf in the foreground. The scene appears to be in a city or town, likely during late afternoon or early evening.
Five children sitting and leaning on the trunk of an old white car, smiling and laughing together, with some under a tree and a building in the background.

But, Moldova is hosting the highest number of shelter-seekers per capita. Even though the enthusiastic help from the public is unprecedented, the government is having difficulties tackling the situation. The limited resources do not always reach this refugee center in time. The Roma community sometimes would have to wait for essential goods like sugar, tea, and sometimes even water. Once serving as a university building, in “FRIȘPA”, the facilities are not proper for accommodating people in the long term. 

Rows of beds and bedding in a large, dark room, with some beds illuminated by sunlight, showing blankets and water bottles, likely in a shelter or temporary housing area.
A young man with short dark hair and a slight beard sitting in a bright room, making a playful fist gesture towards the camera. Behind him, a woman with blonde hair is smiling and leaning towards him. In the background, an older woman is sitting at a table, on her phone. On the window sill, there are several stacked food containers.
Clothes hanging on a laundry line outside a house with concrete steps and a rusty railing, an empty school chair in the foreground, wet pavement, and old textured building walls with two windows.
A beige plastic tray containing cooked penne pasta, a meat patty, and coleslaw salad, placed on a colorful, speckled table.
Three girls are gathering cherries from a tree, two standing on chairs and one sitting on the ground, with another girl climbing the tree.

Despite the precarious conditions, in the center life is vibrant, birthdays are celebrated, and more and more activities are organized. No matter whether on the move or being stuck, people come together in crises. Now, 5 months in, some people are becoming a part of the Moldovan labor market, and slowly getting integrated. But, does the temporary get normalized? And how far will the burden of systematic racism carried from their country reach them wherever they go?

A 1 Russian ruble banknote placed on a red fabric surface with swirl patterns.
Two people playing Mahjong outdoors on a cardboard table, with dice and a pen on the surface.
Two men sitting outdoors, engaged in conversation, with children and a building in the background, including one boy playing with a smartphone and another man sitting with a suitcase nearby.
People standing in line holding shopping bags on stairs, with various brands of bags, including a pack of Pampers diapers.
A young girl with dark, curly hair holding a small yellow chick against her face, smiling softly. She is wearing a sleeveless, light-colored dress with large black polka dots.
People boarding a pink tour bus outdoors with a woman looking out from a window of a building in the background.
Five children sitting and playing on the steps outside a building; two girls at the front smiling while petals fall around them, and three boys behind them, one throwing petals.
Child's colorful drawings on paper taped to a pink wall depicting people, a dog, a basket, and a toy car.
A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a beige shirt and skirt, sitting in a wheelchair with a gentle smile, against a bright, airy background.
Display of religious images, photographs, and plush toys on and above wooden desks.
A woman sitting on a table with two children in front of a classroom blackboard. The woman has dark hair, wearing glasses on her head, a black sleeveless top, and striped pants. The boy is wearing a gray sleeveless shirt and jeans, and the girl is in a pink and white striped dress with the words "Morning House" printed on it. They are inside a room with children's drawings on the wall.

Published in Bird in Flight and Positive Magazine.