Friends raise funds for Ukraine
‘Money is definitely still needed as governments and grant-donating bodies, who have done a huge amount to help refugees, for example in Poland and the Czech Republic, are now putting more restrictions on their funding and on how it can be spent.’
A Quaker funding group set up after Ukraine was invaded has donated more than €24,000 in just over two years. The Central European Yearly Meeting Funding for Ukraine Group (FUG) has given to twenty non-governmental groups in eight countries in the central European region, with amounts ranging from €200 to €1,500.
‘On your behalf, we gave to multiple organisations each in Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary, and also to groups in Canada (the Mennonite church which works in Ukraine), Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Romania and Ukraine,’ said FUG. ‘Mainly the money has gone to help refugees in the countries around Ukraine, and internally displaced people in Ukraine itself, but we also helped refugee animals in Romania and conscientious objectors and draft refusers via Un Ponte Per, based in Italy, and a law firm in Kyiv.’
The group paid tribute to Friends’ generosity, including Meetings, individuals and Quaker bodies such as the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). After FUG’s thirtieth meeting last month, the funds have dried up. ‘Money is definitely still needed as governments and grant-donating bodies, who have done a huge amount to help refugees, for example in Poland and the Czech Republic, are now putting more restrictions on their funding and on how it can be spent,’ said FUG. There is now little available for children and teenagers, it added, with money increasingly directed towards getting people into work.
Tim Gee, general secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation (FWCC), highlighted FUG’s work during the Europe and Middle East Section (EMES) annual Meeting, themed ‘Living the Spirit of Ubuntu’ and informed by John 13:34: ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.’
‘Always when we hear of terrible things happening, people ask “What can I do?”. In this case, we can do something,’ he said. ‘All of these projects, and many more besides, need prayer. They also need funds, to whatever extent you can.’
The FWCC EMES website has details of the Central European Yearly Meeting account, where donations can be placed.
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