Humanitarian aid of People in Peril civic association, Bratislava (source: SITA)
“We collected four kinds of items: personal hygiene products such as shampoo and soap, also items for sleeping, meaning sleeping bags, foam mattresses, sheets, tents and blankets,” the organisation’s director Braňo Tichý said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. “We also collected shoes, as there’s a lack thereof, as well as baby strollers and children’s clothing.”
The collections that took place on September 8 in Žilina and Banská Bystrica were shipped to Bratislava, where the items were sorted and loaded on to a lorry. Another part of the aid will depart from Košice on September 10.
“We think that in the course of the next week we’ll open the collection again with an updated list of items required,” Tichý said, as quoted by TASR.
The organisation announced a collection, both material and financial, for refugees last week. The sum has reached €25,000 and is increasing. People are continuing to donate.
“The money will be used directly on location for the purchase of things that are not suitable for transportation, including food, water and other things that may be required,” Tichý explained.
The financial aid will also be used in places where it is not possible to ship material aid, for example Serbia and Macedonia.
“To carry material aid over Schengen borders is logistically extremely difficult and it’s much easier to buy the items there,” said Tichý, as quoted by TASR.
Alongside the lorry, Slovak volunteers also left for the border.
“There are many local and also foreign volunteers on the spot that spontaneously decided to come to help, but a coordinating role is missing and sometimes there’s chaos,” Tichý continued. “Our people are experienced in helping with the coordination.”
