The aid for the population in Ukraine as well as for the refugees is provided by the network of the various national ADRA (the Adventist Development and Relief Agency) offices. They are accompanied by the ADRA Europe office in Brussels. The ADRA partner offices in Europe work closely with ADRA Ukraine and coordinate their assistance with government authorities as well as international aid organisations.
ADRA Ukraine
In Ukraine, ADRA coordinates emergency relief in the country from Mariupol and Slovansk. In hard-to-reach areas, people receive psychological and pastoral care via digital media and telephone. ADRA Ukraine has also distributed food parcels to the residents of Kyiv.
ADRA Poland
For many people who have made the arduous trek across the border, the train station in Przemysl, Poland, serves as the first safe place to regain their strength. ADRA Poland distributes food and welcome packages, including warm clothes, there and in other places, so that the refugees are provided with the essentials. Vouchers for everyday necessities are also distributed.
ADRA Switzerland
ADRA Switzerland provides refugees from Ukraine with a welcome package to tide them over until government aid takes effect. The relief organization has designated a contact person each for German-speaking Switzerland, French-speaking Switzerland, and Ticino, all of whom can be contacted for emergency aid.
ADRA Austria
ADRA Austria has been offered 300 shelters for refugees. These are to be arranged for the arriving families via a call centre where volunteers work. In two locations, the relief agency also offers welcome centres where refugees are received, given a meal and can shower until they can be placed in accommodation. More info here.
ADRA Romania
ADRA Romania brought hope and relief supplies to internally displaced people and to western Ukraine with its first humanitarian convoy. Relief items delivered included mattresses, hygiene items, bedding, and much more. After 29 hours, the volunteers returned safely to Romania.
ADRA Hungary
The ADRA team wants to take over the transport of refugees from the border to the shelters. 100 to 200 people can be accommodated by Adventist church congregations in Hungary, another 50 people at the church campsite.
ADRA Slovakia and ADRA Czech Republic
ADRA Slovakia has set up a large round tent in Vyšné Nemecké, on the border with Ukraine, to provide shelter, warmth, refreshments, a children's programme, and transport to the cities for the refugees. For this purpose, the relief organisation is making its coach bus available for transporting people. It is an advantage that many of the volunteers speak Ukrainian, according to ADRA Slovakia.
Employees of ADRA Slovakia and the Czech Republic have arranged aid deliveries with the partner relief organisation ADRA Ukraine in Mukachevo. Due to supply shortages in Ukraine, food will have to be transported across the border.
ADRA and Adventist institutions in Germany
Friedensau Theological College (ThHF) is currently preparing to accommodate a larger group of refugees in Möckern and on the campus. Friedensau is in contact with students, staff, and alumni of the Adventist partner university in Bucha/Ukraine, a suburb of Kyiv, who have managed to escape to western Ukraine and are now seeking refuge. About 40 people can be accommodated in Friedensau, the others in the surrounding area. Three teachers from Ukraine with their children have now arrived in Friedensau.
The Marienhöhe School Centre in Darmstadt is supporting the Darmstadt-Marienhöhe Adventist congregation in taking in refugees from Ukraine and is prepared to take in more refugees.
The Bergheim Mühlenrahmede conference centre near Altena/NRW has also taken in the first refugees.
For Adventist help from Germany, see also APD news of 4 March
ADRA Germany offers help
Anyone who knows of charitable institutions that can provide accommodation or take on driving or escort services for refugees is invited to contact ADRA via the contact form on the website. For more information on ADRA's work in Ukraine, please visit here. The ADRA donation form can be found here.
To read the original article, please go here.
