The Ecumenical Aid Organization and Finnish Church Aid have signed a cooperation agreement to work together on the reconstruction of schools in Ukraine damaged by the war.

László Lehel, the president of the aid organization, said at today's press conference in Budapest: There are 7.7 million internally displaced people in Ukraine and 5.7 million have left the country, there are more than 400,000 in Transcarpathia. The Ecumenical Aid Organization helps 225 institutions, typically refugee hostels. The aid organization is already present in nine Ukrainian counties, they have helped hundreds of thousands of people so far, and they have already been able to deliver aid supplies to parts of Kyiv, in many cases with the help of local organizations.

He added: Finn Church Aid is a Finnish church aid organization that has representation in 13 countries and works with around four thousand colleagues. The organization basically implements development and humanitarian projects with the support of the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the use of funds obtained through international tenders.

Before signing the cooperation agreement, Jouni Hemberg, the executive director of Finn Church Aid, spoke about how they had cooperated with the Ecumenical Aid Organization, which started work immediately after the outbreak of the war, but now they are raising the cooperation to a new level, for example, they are starting to rebuild Ukrainian schools together.

He said that the assessment teams had already assessed the condition of the schools and found it "alarming". In general, schools need to be rebuilt everywhere, he added. He emphasized: in addition to the reconstruction of school buildings, it is important to support teachers and children as well.

Traumatized children need psychosocial support and teachers must be trained for this, he said, adding that there are many mines and ammunition in the area, and children must also be taught how to recognize them. He indicated: they will continue to build and support community shelters.

László Lehel also spoke about the fact that the aid organization will open a third office after Beregszász and Lemberg, this time in Kiev. In addition to the Hungarian aid organization, the center also houses the member organizations of the international association of church-based aid organizations, the ACT Alliance, which takes a role in Ukraine.

Anikó Lévai, the wife of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the goodwill ambassador of the Ecumenical Aid Organization, was also present at the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Ecumenical Aid Organization and Finnish Church Aid.

Source: Hirado.hu

Photo: Segelyszervezt.hu (The photo shows László Lehel)