Improve English-speaking Abilities

The program

This fantastic project was created with the goal of helping to improve the English-speaking abilities of the people of Moldova. As is common in many of the world’s poorer communities, an ability to speak English unlocks a new world of possibilities – in education and in job opportunities, as well as opening themselves up to learning more about the world. Volunteers on this highly inclusive program have the opportunity to get first-hand experience in teaching English classes in a Community Language Centre, located in the picturesque town of Causeni, roughly eighty kilometers from Moldova’s bustling capital city of Chisinau. At the Language Center, which has been established by Love Volunteer’s local partner, volunteers will meet more than one hundred and fifty motivated students of different ages, from seven right through to fifty-five! Volunteers will have the ability to change lives for the better in Moldova, giving participants additional options in life.

Goals of this Project:

• Provide free English language classes to the residents of Causeni
• Improve the future prospects of some of Moldova’s most impoverished people, and help them to break the poverty cycle,
• Expose non-English speakers to native English speakers in order to improve pronunciation and conversational skills,
• Enable inter-cultural exchange which benefits both residents and international volunteers alike.

How you can help

Volunteers play an integral role in achieving the goals of this project. Most students in Moldova will have commenced learning English at about ten years old, so the role of the volunteer is mainly to teach conversational English. Volunteers all receive assistance and guidance from the local teachers, especially regarding lesson preparation and content. Whilst there are typically five to fifteen students in a class, volunteers usually have some say in what age group they teach, but should maintain a flexible outlook. Moldovan students have rarely had the opportunity to travel and are avid to learn about life in the volunteer’s home country, making the newcomer a popular addition to the teaching team!  Volunteers will find that teaching English is an extremely important and rewarding role to play in this developing nation. The students will gain so much from being taught English from native speakers and will take these skills to advance their lives for the better.

Volunteers on this project provide a valid and effective means of English language tuition. They will contribute in a number of ways and can expect to undertake the following tasks:

• Teach English to classes of 5 - 15 students (per class)
• Design games to teach English, especially for the children
• Network with local residents and local project staff

A volunteer’s work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

8:00am Breakfast with the host family

9:30am Walk/bus to your project site

10:00am Pre-start meeting with project supervisor

11:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.

6:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

6:15pm Debrief with project supervisor

6:30pm Walk or bus back home for dinner with the host family

Evenings Free time to relax or go out and explore the sights and sounds of Moldova!

Our volunteer projects in Moldova are centered in and around the city of Causeni (pronounced “Cowshani”) which has a population of around twenty thousand people. It is 80 kilometres South-East of the capital, Chisinau. Its name translates to “cooking pot”, so-called because it nestles in the valley between several hills.

Causeni is divided into four main districts: Central, Old-Causeni, Micro and Plani. The river Botna flows through the center of the town and although it is now a very small river, it was once sizable and so it is bordered by a large flood plain. 

There are numerous small shops, including some very modest supermarkets. A daily market runs in the center from early morning and closing about 13.00.  There are various bars, billiard halls and discos. Amenities include cyber-cafes, a pharmacy, hospital, many banks, the “house of culture” and a neglected park.

The 17th century Assumption of Our Lady Church is the oldest surviving building in the town. It is set more than 3 feet (0.91 m) below ground level and preserves the only medieval fresco in the Republic of Moldova. The beautiful painted frescoes on the inside walls feature religious scenes and iconography in vibrant reds, gold, and blues.