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Annual Report – 2021
In 2021, we often heard colleagues say, with some bitter irony, that this year is an extension of 2020. Waves of the coronavirus epidemic still define our life. Many routine and extra tasks that were once exceptional have been incorporated into our organisation’s nationwide network of institutions daily. „Epidemic-proof” hygiene, the use of protective equipment to reduce the risk of infection and “hybrid” activities have become standard practices among staff and beneficiaries.
Our institutions have done their utmost to ensure they can continue fulfilling their role in the changed conditions. As we vowed when the epidemic emerged, we did not let go of the hand of the needy in their time of need: we helped them in difficult circumstances during the third and fourth waves with increased capacity and special forms of support and support measures.
This constant presence and contact allowed communities to come together whenever possible and to continue, rather than start again, their work together. In addition to the ongoing work, we continued to expand our network of institutions in Hungary, new points of presence were opened, and our Debrecen centre was expanded with a brand new institution. In addition to the expansion, we have also paid special attention to the unification of the professional work of the institutions and the implementation of the core values of social work.
We started with an exceptional situation in our international work: the unprecedented earthquake in Croatia, a few hundred kilometres away from us, caused devastation that prompted solidarity from many in Hungary, and the government offered significant aid to help mitigate the damages.
Our organisation has partnered with the government to rebuild a school and a church in the neighbouring country. We continued our large-scale humanitarian and development programme in Iraq, launched our largest-ever aid programme in Ethiopia, and delivered Hungarian emergency aid in the form of ventilators and other medical equipment to 10 regions of Ukraine in response to the coronavirus outbreak. In the second half of the year, the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan was a world-shaking development, requiring us to temporarily suspend our work and return to the country facing a humanitarian crisis, with an even greater presence as soon as it became possible.
In 2021, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the foundation of Hungarian Interchurch Aid. Our events and communications for this special anniversary were not about looking back, but about evaluating the lessons of three decades, clearly articulating unchanged core values and established professional principles, (re)building community and, last but not least, gratitude. We owe thanks to all our staff, volunteers, partners, and supporters for allowing us to help those in need and distress in so many places and ways together through the power of unity!
Development and humanitarian work around the world
The purpose of the International Development and Humanitarian Department is to achieve the objectives set out in HIA’s Statutes: to provide assistance to people in distress, to investigate the causes of distress and to help bring about their rapid resolution. It pursues these objectives in two areas: humanitarian work and international development.
In 2021, the main focus of our activities has been on supporting disadvantaged groups and communities affected by the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic. Still, the Department has endeavoured to ensure that, despite the difficulties, it can implement the projects it has launched as fully as possible. The aim was to support the fight against Covid-19 in as many places as possible. It did so in several countries, most notably Ukraine, where it implemented numerous projects during the year, supporting the efforts of the population and health institutions.
During the year, we implemented many humanitarian projects in cooperation with local partners worldwide, contributing to the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak and mitigating its negative effects.
During 2021 our international humanitarian activities were screened to obtain the status of “Humanitarian Partner” by ECHO (the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations).
Iraq
Ukraine
Afghanistan
Our organisation has been present in Afghanistan for 21 years, since 2001. In 2021, we signed an agreement with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) office in Kabul to implement 4 projects, and also implemented a food aid programme with the support of Hungary Helps Agency. In 2021, the programmes distributed 5241 tonnes of food (the highest quantity ever) and implemented various local rural development, disaster prevention and training programmes. The number of direct beneficiaries was 76,543. The total value of the programmes, including food and cash-for-work programmes, exceeded HUF 1.3 billion. In August-September 2021, following the Taliban takeover, the organisation suspended the implementation of programmes for a few weeks and reorganised its office to respond to the situation. In addition, to ensure the safety of staff and the successful implementation of projects, the organisation has introduced various security measures and restrictions on both the office and the implementation of programmes. Following the Taliban takeover, the financial system collapsed and the price of basic foodstuffs rose sharply. International financial institutions have suspended aid to the country, the country is in the grip of a drought, and several other factors have exacerbated the deepening and prolongation of the humanitarian crisis.
In 2021 we started implementing two additional programmes with the support of the Finnish partner FCA and the ACT Alliance. The completion of these programmes was postponed to 2022.
Ethiopia
Our organisation provides humanitarian assistance to disadvantaged groups in Ethiopia through a complex programme. The programme aims to support IDPs and host populations in education, water management, agriculture, and food security in the Gambella and Konso regions. A new school has been built and school supplies have been provided to pupils. In addition, an agricultural training course is being launched, with the distribution of agricultural tools and livestock. A total of 6685 direct beneficiaries have benefited from these activities.
Croatia
Hungary Helps Programme is helping to rebuild the Petrinja I primary school and the Church of St Nicholas and Vitus in Žažina, Croatia, which were damaged during the earthquake. The primary school, with a total of 20 classes, accommodates 355 children, while the church serves 1 200 parishioners, bringing the total number of beneficiaries of the international development project to 1 555.
In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Croatia, our organisation provided accommodation containers for the affected families.
Fiji
The project’s main objective was to provide humanitarian assistance to families affected by the floods and to meet their food needs. Food parcels were distributed to 225 households. This enabled the project to reach 1,261 beneficiaries within the requested timeframe.
Timor-Leste
In humanitarian aid, relief goods were distributed to families affected by the floods in Timor-Leste. The relief goods included food, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies (the latter in response to the coronavirus epidemic), vitamins, nutritional supplements, as well as building materials, household items and crisis lines. In total, 265 families and 985 people were reached.
India
The main objective of the project was to provide humanitarian assistance to the Indian population affected by COVID-19 pandemic. The project included the distribution of hygiene kits, information on protection and social distancing rules for the poorest and marginalised populations. In 2021, 3,620 families benefited from the assistance, bringing the total number of direct beneficiaries to 18,000.
Kyrgyzstan
Humanitarian assistance has been provided to a total of 300 (1600 people) families in border villages affected by the Tajik-Kyrgyz conflict, who have benefited from the distribution of essential nonfood items such as health and hygiene care for women and children, clothing and equipment for the collection of clean drinking water. In addition, 60 parents and 40 children received psychological support to help them cope with the stress of the conflict.
Democratic Republic of Congo
The project aims to help victims of the volcanic eruption of May 2021. In total, our organisation provided school meals for 300 children in Goma for 10 months and food and kitchen utensils as needed for 50 other families in need.
Kenya
The project aims to provide quality education for young people in the Korogocho slum in Kenya by supporting the maintenance and renovation of the Primary School. A total of 525 students aged between 4 and 15 from different ethnic and religious groups benefited from the project.
Romania
The project aimed to support the Hungarian diaspora living in deep poverty in the Transylvanian Plain (Mezőség) through renovating the Rainbow Dormitory. The residential institution, which operates in two settlements, Filpișu Mare and Reghin, provides accommodation, full board and educational support for 51 children from kindergarten to secondary school.
National assistance in Hungary
Hungarian Interchurch Aid’s social and development work aims to provide effective assistance to people in need, identify the causes, and help eliminate them as soon as possible. In our social work, we strive to promote conservative values. This includes the use of sound, long-established methods, the protection of families, and the prioritisation of work, learning and individual responsibility in our services. In our daily work, we consider it essential to take a systems approach to tackle a problem.
In designing services, we aim to fill gaps that can effectively help to promote the reintegration of disadvantaged groups. The organisation separates crisis assistance and long-term care processes. The beneficiaries must always be involved in the problem-solving process, according to their capacities, to ensure they feel a sense of ownership. The provision of support should aim to eliminate long-term dependency and to develop support systems that are targeted, flexible, personalised and rapid.
The organisation’s social and development work in Hungary can be divided into four broad areas:
- Social and development work with families and children
- Care for the homeless
- Daycare for addicts and psychiatric patients
- Crisis management, support for individuals, families and communities in need
Our organisation continued its activities in 2021, even though the COVID-19 pandemic presented new challenges in many areas. We provided 33 services in 24 municipalities and 50 institutions to help individuals and families in need.
In 2021, the priority area was the ’catch up’ programme, which enabled thousands of children to benefit from individual and small group development (special education, tutoring), digital development and leisure camps. The ’catch up’ programmes are also particularly important because every year, 6,140 children are reached by the organisation’s services. Of these, 1,613 have participated in various developmental activities, and 4,527 children have participated in recreational activities.
This year, there was also a strong focus on victims of relationship violence. By now, our organisation has become one of the largest organisations helping victims with a wide range of services (crisis centre, secret shelter, online counselling, crisis outpatient clinic, halfway house). The number of victims helped by the organisation has exceeded 1000.
In partnership with the government, our organisation is also involved in the Catching Up Settlements programme, which works with several large charities to help individuals and families living in segregated circumstances. We have already set up Presence Points in 11 municipalities. In 2021, nearly 2,500 people benefited from the services provided by Presence Points.
The nearly 60 development projects will enable the organisation to improve the existing national institutional system and to introduce new areas of operation and new methods by developing new innovations and models.
Main investments in 2021:
- Construction of a Social and Development Centre, warehouse base in Debrecen
- Establishment of a National Social Worker Training Centre in Kastélyosdombó
- Social and Development Center in Dunavarsány – Enhanced elderly care, Renovation of the kitchen
- Development of a Presence Point in Boldogkőújfalu
- Development of a community space in Olaszliszka
The implementation of EU-funded development projects continued (regional crisis outpatient clinics and clandestine shelters, a crisis centre and halfway house in Orosháza and the operation of the Sure Start Children’s Center in Olaszliszka), and the programme for the integration of disadvantaged municipalities was extended with additional projects.
The pandemic crisis also affected the implementation of projects. The Development Department regularly monitored ongoing projects and tracked changes and modifications on a continuous risk analysis basis to ensure that the project objectives were fully met.
In addition to prevention, the Game with Borders programme consists of integration and dissemination elements. It has been operating for nine years now as a gap-filling, complex programme in preventing and treating gambling addiction.
The objectives of the Game with Borders programme for 2021 were:
– Involving schools in the prevention programme through a national competition
– Involvement of schools through the implementation of HIA’s staff members
– Involvement of Tanodas (facilities for after-school support programs) in the prevention programme
– Organisation of accredited training courses for teachers of the schools and Tanodas involved
– Running information points in 7 locations
– Group sessions and individual case management for people with gambling problems and their families
Info Points
The network of Information Points was set up to emphasise the key message: there is help, there is a place to deal with this disease. A total of 336 clients visited the Info Points in 2021. Since the Info Points were launched, nearly 3000 contacts with clients have been made. In 2021, Info Point staff informed institutions and organisations about the service a total of 532 times.
The integration element of the Game with borders programme helps addicts and their relatives by running self-help groups. In 2021 group sessions were organised in six locations: Orosháza, Szolnok, Kaposvár, Budapest, Debrecen and Sopron. The groups in all six locations are open, with the possibility to join or return at any time. In addition to addictions, the sessions also address a range of social and peer problems, and the family support system is also a key focus. 5-10 people per location regularly attend the group sessions. In addition to group sessions, clients also had the opportunity to participate in individual case management in 2021. The possibility of the group and individual sessions allows clients to choose the recovery path that best suits them, thus helping them overcome the addiction.