The COVID-19 crisis has generated an unprecedented test of human solidarity. As an ADRA global community, we express our appreciation for each individual or organization that offers protective measures, quick adjustments, or spontaneous expressions of gratitude. And yet, we still have a long way to go. Therefore, we call on all decision-makers, influencers, and, in fact, each individual to act responsibly.
The world and its people are now learning a painful lesson for a better understanding of human connections. We are all interconnected and members of a human family. We, ADRA, call for a mature and responsible global solidarity which puts people first.
In the 11th week of our Humanitarian Support COVID-19 project, the ADRA team reached 1,263 people, including elderly people living alone and with acute conditions, children from disadvantaged backgrounds and exceptional academic results, adults struggling to ensure decent living conditions, entrepreneurs still adapting their economic activity to maximize profits in this context, immigrants, and domestic violence survivors in isolation.
Thus, in one week from May 17-23, ADRA provided for local needs generated or accentuated by the context of COVID-19 for over 1,200 people:
731 beneficiaries received food and hygiene products, medicines, or protective equipment, of which 170 received masks made in the tailoring workshop ADRA Viile Noi in Constanța;
456 beneficiaries received basic food in order to be able to get through these days of crisis more easily, of which 75 received a hot meal at home every day;
46 entrepreneurs were assisted in the adaptation and development of their businesses to fit the new reality of business;
19 people received help to provide shelter, of which 8 also received hygiene and clothing kits;
11 people benefited from social assistance and psychological counseling for the crisis.
These supplies were distributed by qualified personnel of ADRA Romania, who acted in accordance with the security and safety policies and rules imposed by current laws of the World Health Organization (WHO), Strategic Communication Group, Ministry of Health, and General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (IGSU), in partnership with local authorities and accredited institutions, with some specialized services being outsourced.
"Because the COVID-19 crisis has severely affected European countries, it is a joy to see ADRA workers and volunteers responding so quickly,” said Joao Martins, executive director of ADRA Europe. “All of them have found ways to support those who are most vulnerable and suffer the most in this situation. ADRA Romania was one of the first to respond by offering not only medical goods and services, but also counseling and psychosocial support. In times of crisis, we can better affirm the work of ADRA that serves humanity, so that everyone can live as God planned.”
Get involved!
Those who want to join the ADRA Romania team in their Humanitarian Support COVID-19” project can do so by:
volunteering (contact ADRA project coordinators at regional level);
material donations (hygiene products)
financial donations to ADRA accounts (specify the project)
Since 1990, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Romania has been involved in development projects which benefit the entire population. Leading with the motto, “Justice. Compassion. Love,” ADRA Romania brings joy and hope to the lives of recipients by promoting a better future, values, and human dignity. An accredited social services provider, ADRA Romania is part of the ADRA International network, the global humanitarian organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, one of the most widespread non-governmental organizations in the world, active in more than 130 countries and guided by a philosophy that combines compassion with practicality, addressing people in need without making racial, ethnic, political, or religious distinctions in order to serve humanity so that all may live as God intended.
This article was originally published on the ADRA Romania Website