Europe: Emergency Response

Sofija Arbanac and her 3-year old daughter Caka huddle under a blanket - provided by Church World Service - inside their meager home in a Roma settlement in Belgrade, Serbia. The poor family has been told it will be evicted by city officials in March 2012 to make way for new high-rise office buildings. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT Alliance

CWS works to assure that, in the aftermath of natural and human-caused disaster, vulnerable persons and communities achieve long-term physical, psychological and spiritual recovery and acquire sustainable forms of preparedness. 

Serbia

In February 2012, the Serbian government declared a state of emergency due to heavy snowfall and extremely low temperatures.  CWS and partners worked to protect the most vulnerable population, intensifying efforts to provide street children with refuge at drop-in centers or daycare facilities, both open around the clock.  Area businesses and helped provide resources, including warm clothes and shoes, canned food, fortified milk, diapers and necessary medications.  CWS also provided 200 warm blankets to Roma children to Roma children and their families living in settlements.

Moldova

The people of Moldova also struggled with extreme cold and heavy snowfall in early 2012.  During the emergency, CWS provided 500 warm blankets to the most affected population, while also distributing 4,470 CWS School Kits and 6,840 CWS Hygiene Kits to children, schools and other impacted institutions.