By Uros Delic | Project Leader
During 2015, millions of people have fled their homes and countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, escaping war, disaster and other crisis. The daily flow of men, women and children has become one of the largest refugee exoduses since the World War II and one of the primary routes taken by refugees on their journey to countries of the European Union has been passing through Serbia. Refugees are on the move seeking asylum and a better life in the European Union. To do so, they are travelling thousands of miles and facing many forms of danger on their path to a better life, with Serbia being one the countries they transit and the last before entering the EU. The total number of asylum applications in Serbia this year is 195,000.
Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation support
From the moment of escalating the refugee’s crisis during the summer, Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, one of the first private humanitarian organization and foundations in Serbia, started its activities on providing and delivering help for refugees from Middle East. Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation team has 8 years experience in helping refugees and displaced persons, since the Foundation was primarily founded to solve the issue of refugees from ex-Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and internally displaced persons from Kosovo.
Since, during the summer months, the most of the refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq were in Belgrade, in the parks near main bust station (almost 2.000 day per day), it was necessary to provide basic hygienic infrastructure. Thanks to the corporate donors, Ana and Vlade Divac provided 5 mobile toilets for parks near Belgrade bus station and 5 mobile containers to be placed in Miksalište, the object that was become humanitarian aid delivering point for refugees in Belgrade. Purpose of one of these containers is to serve as a room for pediatric checkups, a nursery, space for washing machines etc.
For the first time in Serbia, World Charity Day (September the 5th) have been celebrated by Divac Foundation and a lot of volunteers who have delivered huge amount of food and water to the refugees.
The action of the most importance among refugees and in Serbian and international public was organized together with representative of 4 traditional religious communities in Serbia, Serbian Orthodox Church, Islamic Community of Serbia, Belgrade Archiodeces of Catholic Church and Jewish Community. Vlade Divac, founder of Divac Foundation together with religious representatives visited refugees in one of Belgrade parks, talked to them and sent joint message of humanity, solidarity stating that is not matter the race, nationality or religion when people need help and support.
On the occasion of the Curban Bayrami, great Islamic religious holiday, Ana and Vlade Divac organized Bayrami “sofra” (lunch) for refugees from Syria and Afghanistan that were celebrating their holiday away from their homes. The people gathered in the park near Belgrade bus station were happy after a long period spending that day in joy.
All the listed activities had great media coverage and have attracted a lot of positive comments within population in Serbia, corporate sector and CSO’s as well. Divac Foundation have also involved a lot of volunteers who join our activities and help delivering of the different goods. Divac Foundation have organized 15 humanitarian actions of delivering necessary humanitarian aid. So far, Divac Foundation distributed more than 15.000 units of food, and sweeets, 15.000 units of water and juices, 2.000 hygienic packages, 500 sleeping bags, 300 raincoats and 300 blankets in Belgrade and in Šid near border to Croatia. Three times a week, Foundation team volunteers at spots for distribution and delivering humanitarian aid (food, clothes etc.), that is brought by citizens, companies, national and international organizations.
The activities of the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation on refugee aid were supported by numerous individual donors, companies and organizations: American Economy Chamber in Serbia, lawyer’s office BDK Advokati, KPMG, Ball Packaging, Mondelez International, Catholic Relief Services, Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), Ms. Jelena Bin Drai, Coca Cola, etc.
The help is still needed! These people need the most raincoats, tents, hygienic packages, food, water, winter shoes.
JOIN US TO HELP! THANK YOU!
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