SITUATION AT A GLANCE
2300
Daily number of encounters with refugees
900
Daily number of volunteers
5 tons
Donation per day toward Ukraine
cca. 700
Beds for Ukrainian refugees
Accomodation capacity of nearly 700 beds for Ukrainian refugees in the institutional network of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta.
Aid deliveries to Ukraine
The warehouse in Berehovo is almost full, loaded by vehicles carrying an average of 5 tons of donations a day from the central warehouse of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta on Határ Road, Budapest. The cargo is being transferred to smaller trucks at Tarpa on the Hungarian side of the border in order to avoid the convoy having to make a detour towards Záhony. In addition to the non perishable food and other donations, food packages are also assembled at the Határ Road logistics centre to meet the needs of the Charity Service of the Order of Malta in Berehovo, allowing the Transcarpathian organisation to focus its human resources on distribution.
Keleti railway station
On 20 March, at the end of the shift, the refugee service at Keleti railway station closed. Refugees arriving from Ukraine will now be assisted at the BOK Stadium on Dózsa György Road. Ukrainians arriving at the Kőbánya-Alsó railway station are transported to the site by the Hungarian disaster management team, where charities and civil volunteers provide assistance according to a coordinated schedule.
BOK Stadium
On March 21st, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta provided the first shift of assistance to those arriving at the BOK Stadium by train from Ukraine, where several charities and civil helpers work in a coordinated schedule. The Hungarian Malta provides food, drinks, hygiene products and, if necessary medicine, there is a play area for children, and – as at the Keleti railway station – the MÁV ticket office and several telecommunications companies have also set up mobile offices to facilitate the administrative procedures of refugees. Medical services are also available on site, with special attention to young children and the sick.
Budapest: Kossuth Lajos Street
On March 23rd, a new accommodation facility opened in Budapest to temporarily host refugees from Ukraine: the Spanish hotel chain Eurostar, in cooperation with the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, is providing 50 rooms for refugees at its hotel near Astoria in Budapest.
Accomodation capacity in the national network of HCSOM
One of the main pillars of the provision of care for refugees arriving in Hungary is providing temporary accomodation, as a significant number of people only transit through our contry. Accordingly, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta has so far built up a capacity of nearly 700 accommodation spaces in its national institutional network, which is divided regionally as follows:
- institution in Gárdony: 165 beds
- institution in Badacsony: 25 beds
- Beregsurány: 140 beds
- Central Hungary Region: 250 beds
- other parts of the country: 120 beds.
In addition to the primary lodging capacity a secondary capacity is also available, which refers to accommodations in the national network of the Charity Service that can be made available to refugees at a later stage, if required.
At the temporary shelters, in addition to the provision of clean beds and food, complex assistance is being provided, including administrative assistance to refugees, information on travel, mental health assistance – as the arrivals have experienced severe trauma – interpretation, and, for refugees who wish to settle in Hungary, social assistance and the organisation of accommodation.
An experiment for a new form of care
A mini-programme called “fortnight care” is being launched this week, as a pilot experiment, with a few people. The idea is that families crossing the border at Beregsurány, without a specific destination or plan, will be accommodated in a relaxed environment, and assisted by a dedicated social worker, in order to allow them to thoroughly consider about their options at their own pace , and decide whether they want to travel further or settle in Hungary.
Humanitarian activities in the rest of the country
Humanitarian work continues unabated in various parts of the country. At the Ukrainian-Hungarian border, at Beregsurány the well-established relief point continues to provide assistance and care for those arriving in the country. To help refugees heading to Western European countries, a similar relief point has been set up in Győr, where the Hungarian Malta provides continuous assistance in cooperation with the Caritas of the Diocese of Győr.
In addition to the relief hotspots, refugees are being accommodated in numerous locations across the country, donations are being collected and distributed to meet their needs, as well as being transported to Ukraine. The specific locations can be seen on our weekly updated map.
Photos: Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta/ Bence Kovács
National Headquarter
Department of International Relations
1011. Budapest, Bem rakpart 28.
Tel.: +36-1-391-4700
Fax: +36-1-391-4728
E-mail: nemzetkozi@maltai.hu
