Waiting for Mom

Almost 100.000 legal Moldavians live in Italy (plus an estimated almost 500.000 illegal). About 70% of them are women, that move to another country in search of  better opportunities for them and their family. Fathers are often absent, either because they are divorced, busy working in farms or alcoholics. Therefore usually it is the older daughter that takes over the mother’s role, trying to give the best education to the little brothers and sisters, cooking, cleaning and living with grandparents, very close relatives or neighbours.
The reasons for emigration are always economical. In the last two years Moldavians working and living in Italy sent 54 million of Euros back to Moldova and most of the money has been used to give better studying opportunities and better life to the kids, as well as to buy properties. Moldavian women in Italy mainly work as caretakers of old people, housekeepers or employees in industries. In most cases the job contracts last for a few months, not enough to obtain the necessary papers to take their minor kids along.
Mothers are always in contact with families by phone and often they send them parcels of Italian products.
This is a simple story of Moldavian families from two villages, Elizavetovka and Coscodeni, located in the north of Moldova, with which we try to understand the phenomenon of migration and the reasons for it.