Humanitarian assistance projects for refugees in Serbia in 2019 follow EHO projects started in 2015 and onwards aimed at the needs of refugees in transit through Serbia, especially those who have stayed for more than 10 months in refugee reception centers. Project activities in 2019 were concentrated primarily on reception centers in Vojvodina (Adasevci, Šid, Principovac, Sombor, Subotica, Kikinda).
The main objectives of the projects are: (i) to reduce the vulnerability of refugees by providing humanitarian assistance in food, clothing and footwear, hygiene products, medical services and medicines, and renovating, furnishing and maintaining the premises in which they reside; (ii) contribute to a better acceptance of refugees by the communities receiving them through improved living conditions in the local communities themselves and through improved access to education for refugees located in Serbia.
In 2019, the regular distribution of assistance to meet the most basic needs of over 6,000 refugees in reception centers was continued in 2019, with assistance in the form of clothing and footwear, hygiene items and maintenance equipment for six reception centers, and EHO was the only organization that provided industrial laundry at the aforementioned transit and reception centers in Vojvodina.

"Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees in Serbia - Part I"
The implementation of the well construction project at the Principovac Reception Transit Center included the completion of a test well that provided a limited supply of water in relation to the full capacity needs of this center. The project also included the reconstruction of sanitary facilities in reception centers in Šid and Principovac - partial reconstruction of water supply, sewage and electrical installations, embankment of a new access road to the Principovac Reception Center, and improvement of air-conditioning and accommodation facilities in the Miksalište Reception Center in Belgrade.

"Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees in Serbia - Part II"
Furthermore, the realization of the project of humanitarian assistance for refugees in Serbia continued - the supply of transit reception centers with hygiene and non-food items and services for maintaining the personal hygiene of refugees and hygiene of the premises in which they reside. This project included improvement of working conditions in schools with regular school program for refugee children of primary school age - replacement of wooden joinery with PVC joinery in schools in Šid, Sot, Adaševci, Vašica, Bikić Do. Particular emphasis in this project was placed on the realization of an educational program for capacity building and networking of educators-trainers dealing with the education of refugee children from all reception and transit centers throughout the Republic of Serbia. Through a total of 12 trainings, 70 primary school teachers have increased their intercultural knowledge to be better equipped to respond to the specific needs of this vulnerable and marginalized group, to capture diversity in schools and to positively influence the relationships between refugees and local communities receive. On this basis, cultural exchanges (food, customs) were organized in schools that sent teachers for intercultural education, where it is estimated that about 200 migrants and about 200 residents of local communities participated.

"Assisted inclusion of migrant children and women"
At the beginning of 2019, a 160 m2 prefabricated facility for children and women residing in the center was completed at the Šikara Reception Center in Sombor. The facility is intended for regular educational activities for children aged 7-14, preschool activities for younger children, and for daily educational, motivational and recreational activities for children and women. The facility has one dedicated space for breastfeeding and changing babies. During the year, about 300 refugee children and women passed through successfully implemented thematic activities in this unique and functional facility, which continuously contributes to the better integration of this specific part of the refugee population.
At the end of 2019, the completion of these humanitarian assistance projects for refugees in Serbia, started in 2017 and 2018, and supported by HEKS.

In 2020, there are plans to continue with the project of regular educational and creative activities with migrant women and children in Reception Centers Sombor-Šikara and Subotica.

Implementation period: September 1, 2015 - December 31, 2020.

Partners: HEKS EPER, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Info contact > office@ehons.org