The shadow of Europe. - Jaime de Lorenzo

THE SHADOW OF EUROPE

This is a personal project about the lives of the elderly people living in the villages of the northern region of the Republic of Moldova. Moldova is located in Eastern Europe, east of Romania and south of Ukraine. Upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moldova declared independence and kept the same borders of the former Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova. Many specialists consider Moldova to be the poorest country in Europe.

The situation in these villages is critical. There is no running water or plumbing, so the water must be taken from the wells. In winter temperatures of -20º are reached and houses continue to be heated with wood. Many of these people live alone and isolated with a pension of less than 60 euros. This project wants to show the faces of these people who are in our continent, the richest one, but who seems to live a century ago.

Este es un proyecto personal sobre la vida durante el invierno de las personas mayores en las aldeas del norte de la República de Moldavia. Este país se encuentra a 3.278 km de España, pero no podría estar más lejos de Europa en cuanto a desarrollo. Moldavia es considerado por muchos especialistas como el país más pobre de Europa, con una renta per cápita de 2.300$ por habitante.

La situación en estas aldeas es crítica. No hay agua corriente ni cañerías, por lo que el agua debe ser extraída de los pozos. En invierno se alcanzan temperaturas de -20 grados y las casas continúan calentándose con madera y chimeneas. Muchas de estos ancianos viven solos y aislados, con una pensión de menos de 60 euros al mes. Este proyecto quiere mostrar los rostros y la vida de estas personas que están en nuestro continente, el más rico, pero donde el tiempo parece que se paró un siglo atrás.

Valentina at the door of her house in Șoldănești, Moldova.

A house in the village of Șoldănești, Moldova.

Maria stares at the sky from the door of her house. Șoldănești, Moldova.

Soviet monument to the dead who fought to liberate Moldova from the Nazis in Cușmirca, Moldova.

Alexandru, 81 years old. He worked in the country side all his life. He poses proudly with the medal the Soviet Union gave to him for being a role model of hard work. He looked after his motionless wife in bed for six years until she passed away. He is alone now. Corpaci, Moldova.

Moldovan villages do not have pipelines or running water, people have to get it out of the well.

Gheorghe and Zinaida. Both are 84 years old. They are very concerned about the cold winter, temperatures reach -18º. They are not sure wether they will have enough wood to warm their house. They have no children. Făleștii Noi, Moldova.

Two men on a cart pulled by a horse in Cușmirca, Moldova.

Ivan's feet.

Pavel, 84 years old. He has been living alone for fifteen years already. Loneliness is killing him. He wants to go to an elderly house but he has no money to pay for it. Făleștii Noi, Moldova.

Agafia, 98 years old. She had five children but four are dead. The only one alive was sent in Afghanistan by the Soviet Union and now they do not speak to each other. She cannot see through an eye. Cușmirca, Moldova.

Corn stocks.

Valentina in her kitchen.

Olga, 85 years old and Alexandru, 82. They live together off a pension of 40€ each. They have children working abroad in Europe and Russia. She had to get surgery on the spine. She cannot sleep in a horizontal position. Făleștii Noi, Moldova.

Luba poses with a Baptist bible.

Part of Luba's house.

Anastasia, 91 years old. Her husband passed away years ago. She has a son and a granddaughter living in America. She lived in Siberia for seven years. She can only see through one eye.

A woman gives water to her cow.