Electricians Without Borders (France - Moldova)
Electricians Without Borders is an international aid NGO, established in France in 1986, which has impacted the lives of millions of people in more than 50 countries. Targeting the most isolated and vulnerable, it improves their access to safe, sustainable clean energy and water, for public services and income-generating activities. Although energy is key to sustainable development goals, a billion people still lack access to it. Electrician Without Borders works with partners from local NGOs, the authorities and the private sector to offer experience-based scalable solutions with the latest technologies and high-quality equipment, adapted to local needs. The NGO notably intervenes following crises and emergencies (Dominican Republic following Hurricane Maria, Lebanon and most recently Ukraine and Moldova) and implements post-emergency responses to help rebuild more sustainably.
In 2023/24, the Eurofins Foundation is providing funds to the project “Health, Civil Society Organisations and the Fight Against Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Sustainable Renewable Energy Innovations in Moldova”.
Moldova is currently the poorest country in Europe, with high emigration of young Moldovans to EU countries. It relies heavily on energy imports to meet its needs (80% in 2020). As a result, the country is bearing the full brunt of the consequences of the war in Ukraine: disrupted energy supplies, rising energy costs, and an influx of refugees are putting pressure on already fragile infrastructures.
The development of renewable energies that could raise the country’s level of energy independence remains limited, despite significant potential. The capacity of local structures to work in this field is therefore essential to encourage and facilitate their adoption. In particular, the use of renewable energies could help to improve healthcare services in the country by providing a local, more reliable, and more sustainable source of energy for health centres.
In 2022, Electricians Without Borders in Moldova reinforced the electrical capacities of 17 hospitals, and has since launched a project that aims to contribute to the sustainable securing of access to energy for essential infrastructures in the country for resilient growth, by prioritising renewable energies.
The project aims to strengthen the skills of local civil society organizations (CSOs), to enable them to participate fully in the implementation of the Moldovan government's sustainable development strategy, and to support private, public, and civil society initiatives in this field.
It also aims to improve access to energy for selected healthcare facilities through pilot projects (security, renewable energy, energy efficiency), implemented by partner CSOs with the support of Electricians Without Borders.
This project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
