ADR - Center colaborates with U.S. Embassy

ADR - Center awarded U.S. Embassy grant for “Youth Council Elections” project

May 06, 2011 - Orhei, Moldova – The Agency of Rural Development - Center recently received a grant of $5,579 from the U.S.  Embassy’s Democracy Grants Program in order to carry out the project “Youth Council Elections” in the regional capital of Orhei. The project will use campaigns in school settings to elect a local youth council.

Through the “Youth Council Elections” project, students will run and participate in a citywide election.  Each local school will select three candidates and vice-candidates—42 students in all—to participate in training seminars on campaign ethics, campaign management and developing public policy. The students will run against one another in an election at their respective schools in order to select one representative and one vice representative from each school.

Students will run the elections in the schools after 28 ballot workers are trained in the election logistics and ethics.

The 14 selected representatives and vice representatives will participate in training sessions on community needs assesments; project development and management; leadership; public speaking skills, and participation in local public administration. They will have regular meetings with the mayor of Orhei and local regional council in order to  implement the projects they develop.

The funds awarded to the center by the U.S. Embassy Democracy Grants Program will be used to pay for the development and costs associated with the 11 training seminars hosted by RDA- Center staff members for a total of 84 participants.

The project will begin on September 1, the beginning of the next academic school year, in order to fully engage the maximum number of students.

About the Rural Development Agency: RDA - Center is a public, non-profit, non-governmental, non-political organization, formed by the free expression of associated persons will to realize the common goals defined in the statute. The agency’s goal is to create and carry out projects that reduce the socioeconomic disparities between the rural and urban people of Moldova.