Ukrainian war refugees: How to offer help from Szeged
Image: Waldemar Brandt / Unsplash
UPDATED: March 28, 10:25 a.m.
As thousands flee from the war in Ukraine, neighboring countries - including Hungary - try to help in whatever way they can.
In the first two days of the war, 27,000 refugees arrived in Hungary and many more to other neighboring countries. This number is continuously growing - over 70,000 in Hungary as of Monday, February 28 - as more and more refugees reach the borders.
NGO-s, volunteers, churches, and international associations are all helping at the border. They try to find shelter and provide basic necessities for the refugees.
Even if Szeged is far away from the Ukrainian border, we can help in many ways from here too.
How to help Ukrainian war refugees when you are Szeged-based
Donate necessary items
All major humanitarian aid organizations collect donations, as well as the Ukrainian Ethnic Council of Szeged, together with the Embassy of Ukraine to Hungary.
Important: food items should be new and unopened. Non-food items should be new and unopened or in excellent condition.
Items needed:
thermal blankets and covers
sleeping bags
sleeping mats
blankets
mattresses
rain covers
pillows
toiletries
toothpaste and toothbrush
diapers
menstrual pads
paper towels
wet towels
toilet paper
disinfectants
masks
bandage
wound disinfectants
tents
camp beds
stoves
cauldrons
microfiber towels
camping cutlery
candles
flashlights
batteries
other camping equipment
drinking water
instant food items (soup, coffee, etc.)
dried fruits
nuts, energy bars, chocolate
canned food
pasta
baby food
other long-life food items
pet food (smaller packages)
Donation drop-off points in Szeged
The following places function as donation drop-off points in Szeged. They collect the items and forward them to the humanitarian aid organizations working at the Ukrainian border.
Open: Mon-Thu: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Address: Osztrovszky u. 6., 6721 Szeged
Tel.: +36 62 424 248
E-mail: minority@t-online.hu
Update, March 24: Material donations (see list above) will be accepted on March 29-30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on March 31, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. - For exact list of accepted items, please refer to the House of Ethnic Minorities’ Facebook page.
University of Szeged József Attila Study and Information Center (SZTE TIK)
Central Customer Service
Open: Mon-Fri: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m., Sat: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Address: Ady tér 10., 6722 Szeged
Tel.:+36 62 546 600
E-mail: info@tik.u-szeged.hu
Donate responsibly
Always donate what is currently asked for. All the humanitarian aid organizations update the actual list of items they need in the refugee camps. The list above is in accordance with the current need.
Donate items in appropriate condition. The things you donate should be faultless and in good condition. Food items have to have a long shelf life and require no - or very little - cooking.
Make sure to donate items and money only to reliable organizations. Always double-check your information sources. When in doubt, choose the biggest international humanitarian aid organizations' local branches.
Donating money
The work of aid organizations heavily depends on financial donations, however, you have to be extra careful when donating money.
Below are links to some of the most well-known, reliable aid organizations helping in the current humanitarian crisis. There are different ways to donate money: donation line (telephone) and/or online payment and/or bank transfer, see links for more info.
Magyar Ökumenikus Segélyszervezet - Hungarian Interchurch Aid
Baptista Szeretetszolgálat - Hungarian Baptist Aid
UNICEF Hungary (website in Hungarian only)
Magyar Vöröskereszt - Hungarian Red Cross (donation info in the pinned post)
Máltai Szeretetszolgálat - Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta
Offer temporary shelter for Ukrainian war refugees
Another major factor is to have enough shelter for the refugees. As the temporary camps, schools, and community buildings near the border will be full quickly, any unused buildings suitable for housing can be a great help at the moment.
For example, the Szeged-based tech company, Antavo, offered to give shelter for Ukrainian war refugees in their office. They can accommodate 15 people and offer them a place to stay, food, hygiene items, and the use of the internet in the next 4-5 weeks.
If you also have a suitable apartment or other building that can serve as a temporary shelter, contact the Ukrainian Ethnic Council of Szeged (see House of Ethnic Minorities contact above).
Expressing solidarity with the people of Ukraine
You can express solidarity with the people of Ukraine by lighting a candle at the Holodomor Monument next to the Votive Church of Szeged (Szegedi Dóm).
The statue in the Solidarity Park, next to the Dóm, commemorates the victims of the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine and can thus be an appropriate place to express sympathy - according to the Ukrainian Ethnic Council of Szeged's press release.
