Provide food for the Middle East refugees

Winter time brought new problems for refugees and migrants in Serbia. As per UNHCR’s reports, currently in Serbia is 7,400 refugees and migrants, out of which over 82% were accommodated in 16 government shelters, many exceeding capacities. The rest stayed rough in Belgrade city center or near the border with Hungary. NGOs working on the field estimated that above mentioned number of migrants in Serbia is not correct because it does not include those accommodated in hotels and hostels. According to NGO’s in Serbia is currently over 10.000 refugees and migrants.

From the beginning of the crisis Ana and Vlade Divac distributed over 300 tons of humanitarian assistance and supported over 300.000 refugees with food, clothes, dignity kits and other non-food items. After the closure of the “Balkan route” in March 2016, we focused more on increasing shelter capacities of Republic of Serbia. Up to now we reconstructed part of the biggest asylum center in Serbia and provide safe and dignified accommodation for over 500 people. Reconstruction works on two more centers are ongoing. After completion of the works, 600 more people will have access to shelter in line with international standards.

During the holidays we have provided 600 New Year’s gifts for children in asylum and reception centers across Serbia. We continued to share stories of those people through social and traditional media channels with main idea to pass to our donors and friends just a small part of their journey. Also, we are organizing many interesting workshops and activities for refugees and their children. 

All people in deserve help, no matter of religion, age or skin color and guided with that idea and in line with mission of the Divac Foundation, we will continue in the following period to provide help to the refugees in Serbia.  

We are very thankful to all our donors for their commitment and joint efforts to secure relief and necessary assistance.

Links:

• Raising awareness campaign video

Since August 2015 Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation has been actively involved in provision of humanitarian assistance to refugees from Middle east, and up to now we have provided food, non-food items and dignity kits for over 100.000 refugees.

During the winter months, we had emergency teams available at all times on three spots, Belgrade, Sid and Dimitrovgrad, in addition to mobile teams, providing help wherever needed. Since August we distributed 100 tons of humanitarian assistance and supported over 100.000 refugees with food, clothes, dignity kits and other non-food items. We also helped to share stories of refugees through social media, newsletter, and tried to pass to our donors and friends just a small part of their journey. For the first time, our donors got the chance to hear real human stories and understand that all those terrible things can happen to every and each one of us.

Since the closure of the “Balkan route” in March 2016, over 2000 refugees got stranded in Serbia. Refugee crisis remains a complex problem and, having in mind the new context, this problem cannot be solved only by providing food and non-food items. Involvement of local community is needed as well as provision of occupational activities and vocational trainings for those who are in asylum and reception centers. The goal of our most recent project is a reconstruction of one of the biggest asylum centers in Serbia. After the reconstruction, we will start providing vocational training to the man and woman in center, but also organize some activities for children.

All people in deserve help, no matter of religion, age or skin color and guided with that idea and in line with mission of the Divac Foundation, we will continue in the following period to provide help to the refugees in Serbia.  

We are very thankful to all our donors for their commitment and joint efforts to secure relief and necessary assistance.