ADRA Serbia launched a campaign for the most vulnerable refugees from Ukraine

ADRA Serbia and Center Balkan for you launched a campaign to support the most vulnerable refugees from Ukraine who are currently in Serbia – children and mothers. This campaign aims to ease the living conditions of families forced to leave their homes, take care of the most vulnerable among them and prevent any abuse and violence against them.

There are currently several thousand refugees from Ukraine in Serbia, primarily mothers with children. Most of them stayed temporarily with relatives or friends, hoping their stay in Serbia would not last longer than a few months. 

“The number of refugees – mothers with children, in Serbia is not large, around 10.000. However, they are scattered and hard to reach. We know they need support, especially in the winter period. ADRA will seek and find as many of the most vulnerable ones as possible and enable access to the kinds of support we offer,” explained Igor Mitrović, director of ADRA Serbia.

As the war in Ukraine continues, mothers with children have no other possibility than to stay where they are. All this creates additional psychological and financial pressure. Because families are not together, they are under psychological stress. Financial pressure hits them because new needs have arisen related to the winter season, namely the need for winter clothes and shoes, heating, medicines, and much-needed medical examinations and health-related interventions.

The collected funds will be used for one-time or multiple-time support, depending on the needs. In the decision-making process, children and mothers with the most challenging health or financial situation who do not have other forms of support will have priority.

The campaign complements the aid provided by the Serbia government and other organisations. ADRA will coordinate its activities with the plan and work of state bodies – the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration of the Republic of Serbia and centres for social work.