Hungarian Interchurch Aid has been helping the poorest families, children and elders in Transcarpathia for decades. This year help is needed more than ever: besides the long-lasting economic crisis and the increasing food and energy prices, the consequences of the pandemic resulted that Transcarpathian people in need has to face even more difficulties. Many lost their jobs and incomes; ensuring everyday meals, buying fuel and medicine became a huge problem for people who had no savings.
In this difficult situation more families turn to HIA’s office in Berehove for help: to receive proper food, warm clothes and fuel in the autumn and winter months. In the meantime of the coronavirus the educational system had to go through changes but many children couldn’t keep up with the new situation: for these children it is extremely important to join the office’s programmes that support the development of children in need through the whole year.
We announce a call to help jointly so we can provide more Transcarpathian families, children and elders in need with proper food, warm clothes and fuel before the hit of the cold winter months, and to be able to continue the Berehove office’s programmes that support the development of children in need through the whole year visited by almost 100 children regularly.
With her 3 children and partner Krisztina rents a flat where is no driking water or bathroom and heating is only possible with a stove. Her partner used to work abroad but when the coronavirus pandemic resulted lockdowns he could not go home for months. From January until July the family could not count with his income so Krisztina provided the family from a 25.000 HUF government subsidy for half year. In the meantime she received aid packages twice which contained food and nutritional supplement. Krisztina has been visiting the Safe Start House since 2019 and she was very happy when the programmes restarted as the strict lockdowns softened: the kids could take the catering provided by the programme, use the children’s hygiene products and the laundry opportunities.
Tímea is a mother of 7 children – two of them has already moved out but she is living with her 5 children and disabled husband in a ruined flat with a kitchen and one room. The flat is absolutely uninhabitable but their financial situation can not let them to look for a better one. Her husband has been requiring assistance for 8 years. Tímea is trying to cover the costs of the family by taking odd jobs and receiving government subsidy. Two of her kids has been visiting HIA’s Tanoda programme for years so they regularly receive food-, and school supplies and fuel as a support.
