Europe – Jesuits social institutions, have accompanied Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the conflict
The One Proposal programme provided 82,111 assistance in emergency aid, shelter, psychological support, education and integration.
Entreculturas, 23 February 2023 - Since the beginning of the armed conflict in Ukraine, the coordinated response of Entreculturas and Alboan, together with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and other works of the Society of Jesus in Europe, made it possible to accompany 56,042 people fleeing the violence through 82,111 short- and medium-term assistance activities. These actions were deployed in different geographical locations and ranged from emergency aid, shelter and psychological support to education and integration.
"From the beginning, we responded in Ukraine, but also Poland, Romania, Hungary, Moldova and Slovakia", said Alberto Ares Mateos SJ, Regional Director of JRS Europe. He mentioned this at the publication on Thursday of the annual report, The One Proposal, a coordinated response programme of the Society of Jesus to the Ukrainian crisis. The plan provides a wide range of services over three years to 73,168 Ukrainian people forced to leave their homes, becoming internally displaced persons or refugees.
Martyna, in the middle of her maternity leave a month after the war started, was forced to flee Ukraine to cross into Romania with her mother and sister to protect her child. "This experience is a big emotional shock for the adults, especially for the children", she confesses, and "wholeheartedly" thanks JRS Romania for its care and support when she arrived in Bucharest.
Reception is the first strategic objective of The OneProposal. During its first year of implementation, it targeted 60% of its services to meet this objective, offering shelter and short-term emergency assistance to people like Marthyna. Protection is the second strategic objective, which brings together medium-term aid in areas such as psychological support, health, education and shelter, activities that accounted for 30% of the programme. The remaining 10% was divided between the 'Integrate' and 'Promote' objectives, which aim to provide long-term support through employment, awareness-raising and integration activities.
One example is the 'friendly classrooms' initiative, which aims to ensure that Ukrainian refugee children in neighbouring countries continue to have access to education. "It is essential that refugee children have a safe space to resume their studies and contact other children. In short, it is vital to bring some normalcy to their lives immediately," says Pablo Funes, Coordinator of the International Cooperation Area of Entreculturas.
The four strategic objectives guiding the intervention were based on an exhaustive assessment of the needs of Ukrainians forcibly displaced throughout Europe. This way, a comprehensive response was established, ranging from the immediate humanitarian response and emergency assistance in Ukraine and neighbouring countries to long-term programmes promoting and integrating refugees.
In Spain, the Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM) has been working on protection, awareness-raising and advocacy actions, hosting 440 Ukrainian people through different systems ranging from host families to community models. In addition, it has given Spanish courses to 250 people, oriented 119 in its centres and trained 321 in different types of meetings. SJM mobilised its social base of 1,088 volunteers who collaborated in various activities.
The efforts made by Entreculturas, Alboan and SJM as Jesuit social works in Spain are just a tiny sample of the work that the Society of Jesus has done throughout Europe. Regardless of their status or size, countless works have supported and been part of The One Proposal during its first year of implementation.
NOTE TO EDITORS
● Press kit.
● Full annual report on The One Proposal
For more information or interviews:
Marcos Andrés García [email protected] 685 94 35 76
Source: entreculturas.org
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