This is how Hungary helps Ukrainian refugees

The Ukrainian war that began this week, in addition to the fact that everyone is upset by the images, is also causing humanitarian problems. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes and flee to neighbouring countries, like Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have already arrived in Hungary via the shared border section of about 135 kilometres, and more than 100,000 have already arrived in Poland in just the last 3 days. Let’s take a look at how Hungary is helping and how readers can help, too.

NGOs

Migration Aid is looking for volunteers who can travel to the area for several days and are also looking for buses with a driver who can help with transportation from the border to the local train station or to Budapest. In addition, rechargeable fuel cards are collected so that they can help with the expenses of transport assistants. They are also looking for accommodation near the border to accommodate volunteers as well as to accommodate Ukrainian refugees, anywhere in the country. This can be indicated by e-mail with the subject “offer of accommodation”, indicating the location & the time and duration of the possible stay. Those who speak Russian and Ukrainian are wanted for translation jobs, as well as volunteers for online organisational and administrative work. They can be reached at info@migrationaid.org, and their Facebook page can be found here.

The Budapest Bike Mafia organises collections in Budapest; you can find out about the current locations and dates on their Facebook page. They primarily want material donations to be delivered to the venue: packaged, ready-made sandwiches, canned hot food, juices, insulating foils, blankets, sleeping bags, thermoses, baby care items, wet wipes, toiletries, camp beds. Facebook page here.

Szállás.hu, the largest local accommodation site, would connect those fleeing from Ukraine who need accommodation and owners of accommodation who are willing to receive people for free or at a discount. Szállás.hu contacted all its domestic partners and asked them in a letter to join their campaign. The accommodation agent will grant a commission exemption to the joining partners, and a list of the places offered will be created soon. They are also looking forward to volunteer translators to help with the connection. The organisation can also be contacted by phone (+36 30 344 2000) and e-mail (szallas@szallas.hu) for those looking for accommodation and those providing accommodation, writes portfolio.hu

The “Workforce” Employment and Recruitment Company would help refugees to settle on the Ukrainian-Hungarian border: on the one hand, they will provide them with accommodation in their workers’ accommodation, and on the other hand, they will help them to find a job that matches their qualifications. Their own employees with Ukrainian citizenship also help their direct relatives with accommodation and personalised support in Hungary if they are forced to flee.

The Maltese Charity Service is asking for monetary donations, which began on Friday, to receive refugees from the Ukrainian crisis and place them in rural institutions, writes hvg.hu. Their institution in Beregszász (Beregszász is a culturally Hungarian city in Ukraine) is also open to those seeking help.

Donations can also be made through the following organisations: Hungarian Red Cross (Magyar Vöröskereszt), Protective Charity Association (Oltalom Karitatív Egyesület), Ecumenical Relief Organisation (Ökomenikus Segélyszervezet), Hungarian Reformed Charity Service (Magyar Református Szeretetszolgálat), UNICEF, UN Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine, Catholic Caritas (Katolikus Karitász), Krishna Believers.

The Transcarpathians can be helped on the Hungarian telephone number 1357 through the National Humanitarian Coordination Council. One call is 500 forints (EUR 1.37).

In addition, a number of Facebook groups have been set up for the offerings: Segítségnyújtás (Ukrajna, Kárpátalja) is, for example, a group with 56 thousand members.

A completely English-language group can be found here.

The local government of Budapest is also helping to provide accommodation and meals for nearly two thousand fleeing people almost immediately. At the Budapest railway stations, several people have already asked for help, and they are being accommodated and cared for.

Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) offers 200 places to accommodate and care for refugees from Ukraine – read the university’s statement. The academic management of Eötvös Loránd University, in cooperation with the Student Government, is also compiling a package to support cross-border humanitarian activities, as well as its own students of Hungarian and other nationalities with Ukrainian citizenship across the border, writes 24.hu

All persons arriving from Ukraine can travel officially free of charge to any destination in Hungary on the railway lines of the Hungarian Railway Company (MÁV).

• Read also: Foreign Minister: Hungary provides humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees

Photo: Facebook / Magyar Rendőrség

The whole country moves

The Greek Catholics are launching a fundraiser, asking for food and other necessities. Physical donations are welcome in their parishes, but money can also be transferred to their account. Donation information can be found here. The Diocese of Nyíregyháza of the Greek Catholic Church collects material donations, and those who wish to help can find information on this page, says infostart.hu.

The charity group of St. Anthony of Padua from the Diocese of Debrecen-Nyíregyháza, in cooperation with the Záhony municipality, is waiting for volunteers to join, and they are also waiting for mattresses and other donations.

The Municipality of Debrecen put out boxes for food, everyday toiletries, blankets, and pillows suitable for immediate use. At the concert of violinist Zoltán Mága on February 26, from 6 pm, there was a fundraiser at the Reformed Great Church in Debrecen, which will be used to purchase food for immediate consumption, writes hvg.hu.

Gyula Porga, the mayor of Veszprém, wrote on the city’s website that the local government of Veszprém has started raising funds. The Bakony county town is supporting the collection with five million forints transferred from the city budget.

In Bács-Kiskun County, the municipality of Kecskemét is collecting durable food and warm blankets for the benefit of Beregszász, as well as the application of volunteers to receive the donations.

Food and other donations are expected in the courtyard of the town hall of Kiskunhalas. The municipalities of Baja and Kiskunfélegyháza offered to provide temporary housing for families fleeing Ukraine, and the municipality of Tatabánya initiated fundraising for Tiszapéterfalva in Ukraine.

In Oroszlány, in the local Bányász Club, they are collecting money and materials for the refugees arriving at the border and for the Hungarians who remained in Transcarpathia, as well in Esztergom, in the office of the Maltese Charity Service and in the House of Culture.

Ádám Mirkóczki, the mayor of Eger, announced that the city was ready to accommodate 200 Transcarpathian Hungarians in the workers’ hostel on Kistályai Road. In addition, the municipality is concluding a cooperation agreement with the Caritas Centre of the Archdiocese of Eger, under which it collects durable food, high-quality blankets, and children’s toys at the Caritas premises, the mayor said.

György Hiesz, the mayor of Gyöngyös, said that the Munkács district offered to take care of about 70-80 people in the Mátrafüred and Sóstó camps.

According to the information of Mayor András Csaba Dézsi, the local government of Győr will transfer two million forints to the account of the Bridge for Transcarpathia program.

The University of Szeged has offered 150 dormitory places for Ukrainian students and their families studying in Szeged.

The Honorary Consulate General of Ukraine in Szeged, the Municipality of Ukrainian Nationalities in Szeged, and the Cultural Association of Ukrainians in Csongrad County have launched a fundraiser to support the victims of the war.

The University of Pécs provides accommodation for Ukrainian refugees and has started collecting money and materials as well.

Ernő Görgényi, the mayor of Gyula, is collecting donations in the local House of Culture, which would be delivered to Szőlősgyula in Transcarpathia.

Tibor Kálmán, the mayor of Békés, will establish a collection centre in the city’s cultural centre.

Szentendre offered to accommodate 30 Ukrainian refugees for up to 30 days. Their supply would be provided by the Szentendre Public Foundation, to which anyone can contribute.

In Csömör, the mayor has ordered that the municipally owned Csömör Guesthouse be obliged to receive refugees from Ukraine free of charge, and the municipality will also provide accommodation for the refugees in the crisis housing. According to the website of the settlement, the local government also organises fundraising in coordination with the Social Basic Services Centre and with the involvement of the sports hall.

According to Vác‘s Facebook page, the local government helps to get donations to the border. Donations are expected in the Vác cultural centre or in the city sports hall.

In Szombathely, help is provided to Ungvár/Uzhorod, and the local Caritas of Szombathely has started collecting donations, too.

László Petró, a Reformed pastor from Kaposvár, wrote on his Facebook page that they expect durable food from donors, the shipment will be sent to settlements close to the Ukrainian border on Tuesday, and from there to Ukraine. Thanks to donations, hundreds of thousands of forints in cash have also been raised, from which additional durable food will be purchased on Monday.

In Kaposvár, several institutions organised a collection of games for children.

On the community page of the Fidesz mayor of Székesfehérvár, he indicated that they were ready to receive refugees from Ukraine and to create a donation account.

Mayor István Bálint informed his community that in Bicske, they will start collecting durable, easy-to-consume food and will also accept donations. He indicated that a former refugee camp owned by one of the aid organisations would be able to accommodate hundreds of refugees.

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Source: infostart.hu, portfolio.hu, 24.hu