Within our globalized world, also new and contested (country) borders are continuously drawn. After the collapse of the Soviet Union for example, some regions declared independence but were not recognized by the international community. These are called de facto states. This innovative research explores the interaction between de facto borders and social welfare realties in two empirical cases: Abkhazia and Transnistria. We do this by focusing on the functioning of civil society organizations (CSOs) and the access of people in de facto states and the surrounding borderlands to the social services they provide. Through cross-fertilization (relying on Social Work, International Relations and Border Studies) and an analytical focus on (in)tangible borders, this research contributes to theory building and has important societal relevance. We aim to make policy recommendations to improve well-being in these regions where little research attention has been directed to people’s daily lives.