Melton Enterprise

The following information has been put together by  Andrea Fiford of the  Melton Rotary Enterprise Club

Are you able to assist us in supporting disabled refugees fleeing Ukraine? 

The Melton Enterprise group is sending funds to Rotary and People2people in Oradea, Romania, as they work together to provide transportation out of Ukraine to Oradea, safe and supportive accommodation and the assistance in arranging and transporting to longer term homes. The funds we send assist in paying for transport and accommodation costs.

If you would like to hear more please read the below details and see the links, and contact me as required. 

Many thanks

Our club has a connection with the English charity Ability-unlocked which led to us just having spent an amazing 7 days in Oradea, Romania, with Pete Malkin from Ability-unlocked, and whilst there also spending time with Nicu from People2people and the Rotary club of Oradea. 

Pete has a real heart and dedication for those with disabilities, and a history of working in Romania and Ukraine to support and improve the conditions for disabled people. In Oradea he works in the community with local church groups  to support isolated disabled individuals. 

When the Ukrainian crisis arose he was quick to connect with colleagues who also have a passion for the vulnerable and to target practical support to disabled refugees seeking to flee the war zone. Pete has made many contacts in Ukraine, including with the minister for disabilities and the Rotary club of Uzharrod, and was able to co-ordinate a system where they are notified when vulnerable, disabled adults and children were trying to make the crossing. With the support of People2people, and Caminul Felix they have been able to collect disabled refugees and their families from Ukraine and bring them to Oradea, finding safe accomodation for them at Caminul Felix homes. Once there the refugees are given time to recover from their traumatic experiences, supported to register and identify where they wish to travel onto, or to find longer term accommodation in Oradea. Assistance is then given to help get them to these locations.

As well as offering a little practical assistance, during our visit we were able to facilitate closer links with two Rotary clubs in Oradea, and access some financial assistance through our club and our district to Rotary in Oradea, then onto ability-unlocked and People2People.

We saw first hand the excellent accommodation and support being given to families with disabilities at a number of centres whilst there, and personally joined an emotional night trip in a coach to the border last week to collect a group of 30 refugees, 7 in wheelchairs, 4 blind and some with other disabilities. They have been temporarily accommodated at Noble house, Caminul Felix. 

The charities rely on donations to fund fuel and vehicle hire costs, accomodation and food costs for the refugees. There are no specialist vehicles for disabilities available to the charities and people often have to be man-handled into vehicles to be transported, Pete hopes adapted minibuses may also be funded and sourced in the near future.

If you are looking to support disabled refugees I can highly recommend these dedicated and most trustworthy of individuals, and the commendable organisations behind them. I would be glad to give you more details as required and the web addresses of the charities, and a few of our personal photos. 

https://ability-unlocked.org/en/

https://www.people2people.ro/

https://caminulfelix.ro/

Andrea Fiford

Melton Rotary Enterprise Club