Aid for Refugees in the Balkans
Donation protected
Hello friends!
As many of you are well aware, the devastating refugee crisis has been ongoing throughout the year, with the number of refugees reaching Europe surpassing 1 million only a couple of weeks ago. This is a crisis which demands urgent attention. Every day, refugees are continuing to flow in to Europe through the Balkan route, from which they ultimately reach Serbia’s borders with Macedonia, Hungary, Croatia, and Bulgaria, with the hopes of being admitted in to the European Union. Their journey is dangerous and lengthy, and speaks to the desperation these people face. While political officials debate the security and humanitarian concerns associated with accepting refugees in to the European Union, it is imperative that they be immediately assisted.
WHO ARE WE?
Both of us have cultural and historical ties to the Balkan region, making us profoundly passionate and dedicated to the urgent pleas of these vulnerable people, who are sacrificing their lives to hopefully have a decent life in the future. As students of peace, conflict and justice studies, we recognize the important role grassroots organizations play in humanitarian crisis.
We understand how the current humanitarian crisis is in many ways is similar to the refugee crisis which unfolded during and after the break up of Yugoslavia throughout the 1990s. Furthermore, we recognize the unique and unprecedented dynamics of these particular waves of migrants reaching Europe, who are not only fleeing both civil war and a lack of economic opportunities, but are traveling lengthy and dangerous journeys.
In 2013, Jelena travelled to Amman where she saw first-hand the massive amounts of refugees in the city-centre, at a time when the Western world was not immediately covering the exodus of Syrians. Similarly, Silviu’s experience in the summer of 2015 in Hungary was defined by instances of xenophobia and racist comments directed towards Middle Eastern refugees entering Hungary through the Balkan route. Watching the crisis unfold over the past couple of months, we felt that the media coverage on this specific part of the world was severely lacking. This only made us even more dedicated and passionate to contribute our little part to this widespread issue. We have since been linked to professors, volunteers, civil society groups, and aid workers who are working in this area, trying to gain as much knowledge as possible on the issues facing both the organizations and the delivery of aid. This compelled us to find a way to get to Serbia ourselves. With the support of the University of Toronto and our professors, we intend to use the benefits we have been afforded as Canadian citizens in order to utilize our network to give back as much as possible for this fundraising campaign.
WHY IS YOUR HELP IMPORTANT?
Unfortunately, little support or resources have been allocated by prominent international aid organizations in assisting the refugees who are currently awaiting authorization to enter the European Union. They have instead been left to subsist off meager amounts of resources in makeshift tents across the Balkans, and have effectively been placed in legal limbo. These refugees are in dire need of basic necessities such as coats, socks, hats, and winter boots due to the chilly temperatures continuing to encircle the region.
WHAT IS OUR GOAL?
We have been accepted to undertake a research project in Belgrade, Serbia from February 12-21 with the support of the Slavic Studies department at the University of Toronto. This project will focus on the role of grassroots organizations in humanitarian crisis. More specifically, we plan to track the path of the funds we receive and donate these funds to prominent grassroots organizations currently assisting refugees on the borders, such as Refugee Aid Serbia . We want to emphasize that the funds we receive will be reaching their destination in helping the refugees. We intend to document the path these funds take, from donors hands in Canada, to the delivery of aid on the borders. This will ultimately illuminate the reality on the efficacy of these organizations, and the basic necessities that are needed for refugees.
OUR PLAN
While we are in Serbia, we will be documenting the processes grassroots organizations take to deliver aid. This will be achieved in the form of written step-by-step documentation, photographs, videos and interviews. This report will be available to all donors and individuals who are interested in our project.
Upon our arrival back to Canada, we hope to respond to the needs of groups such as Refugee Aids Serbia and other grassroots organizations who are the central players in providing care to these vulnerable individuals. We intend to use our networks at the University of Toronto, and with prominent civil society groups and political bodies, in order to pressure policy makers to assist these groups in their humanitarian work.
We sincerely thank you for your support as we move forward with this project.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email either Silviu ([email redacted]) or Jelena ([email redacted]) for any questions you may have. Additionally, feel free to connect with us through Facebook: Silviu Kondan and Jelena Djuric .
As many of you are well aware, the devastating refugee crisis has been ongoing throughout the year, with the number of refugees reaching Europe surpassing 1 million only a couple of weeks ago. This is a crisis which demands urgent attention. Every day, refugees are continuing to flow in to Europe through the Balkan route, from which they ultimately reach Serbia’s borders with Macedonia, Hungary, Croatia, and Bulgaria, with the hopes of being admitted in to the European Union. Their journey is dangerous and lengthy, and speaks to the desperation these people face. While political officials debate the security and humanitarian concerns associated with accepting refugees in to the European Union, it is imperative that they be immediately assisted.
WHO ARE WE?
Both of us have cultural and historical ties to the Balkan region, making us profoundly passionate and dedicated to the urgent pleas of these vulnerable people, who are sacrificing their lives to hopefully have a decent life in the future. As students of peace, conflict and justice studies, we recognize the important role grassroots organizations play in humanitarian crisis.
We understand how the current humanitarian crisis is in many ways is similar to the refugee crisis which unfolded during and after the break up of Yugoslavia throughout the 1990s. Furthermore, we recognize the unique and unprecedented dynamics of these particular waves of migrants reaching Europe, who are not only fleeing both civil war and a lack of economic opportunities, but are traveling lengthy and dangerous journeys.
In 2013, Jelena travelled to Amman where she saw first-hand the massive amounts of refugees in the city-centre, at a time when the Western world was not immediately covering the exodus of Syrians. Similarly, Silviu’s experience in the summer of 2015 in Hungary was defined by instances of xenophobia and racist comments directed towards Middle Eastern refugees entering Hungary through the Balkan route. Watching the crisis unfold over the past couple of months, we felt that the media coverage on this specific part of the world was severely lacking. This only made us even more dedicated and passionate to contribute our little part to this widespread issue. We have since been linked to professors, volunteers, civil society groups, and aid workers who are working in this area, trying to gain as much knowledge as possible on the issues facing both the organizations and the delivery of aid. This compelled us to find a way to get to Serbia ourselves. With the support of the University of Toronto and our professors, we intend to use the benefits we have been afforded as Canadian citizens in order to utilize our network to give back as much as possible for this fundraising campaign.
WHY IS YOUR HELP IMPORTANT?
Unfortunately, little support or resources have been allocated by prominent international aid organizations in assisting the refugees who are currently awaiting authorization to enter the European Union. They have instead been left to subsist off meager amounts of resources in makeshift tents across the Balkans, and have effectively been placed in legal limbo. These refugees are in dire need of basic necessities such as coats, socks, hats, and winter boots due to the chilly temperatures continuing to encircle the region.
WHAT IS OUR GOAL?
We have been accepted to undertake a research project in Belgrade, Serbia from February 12-21 with the support of the Slavic Studies department at the University of Toronto. This project will focus on the role of grassroots organizations in humanitarian crisis. More specifically, we plan to track the path of the funds we receive and donate these funds to prominent grassroots organizations currently assisting refugees on the borders, such as Refugee Aid Serbia . We want to emphasize that the funds we receive will be reaching their destination in helping the refugees. We intend to document the path these funds take, from donors hands in Canada, to the delivery of aid on the borders. This will ultimately illuminate the reality on the efficacy of these organizations, and the basic necessities that are needed for refugees.
OUR PLAN
While we are in Serbia, we will be documenting the processes grassroots organizations take to deliver aid. This will be achieved in the form of written step-by-step documentation, photographs, videos and interviews. This report will be available to all donors and individuals who are interested in our project.
Upon our arrival back to Canada, we hope to respond to the needs of groups such as Refugee Aids Serbia and other grassroots organizations who are the central players in providing care to these vulnerable individuals. We intend to use our networks at the University of Toronto, and with prominent civil society groups and political bodies, in order to pressure policy makers to assist these groups in their humanitarian work.
We sincerely thank you for your support as we move forward with this project.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email either Silviu ([email redacted]) or Jelena ([email redacted]) for any questions you may have. Additionally, feel free to connect with us through Facebook: Silviu Kondan and Jelena Djuric .
Organizer
Jelena Djurić
Organizer
Toronto, ON