The Rotary club of Uzharrod is co-ordinating a system where they are notified when vulnerable,
disabled adults and children are trying to make the crossing from the Ukraine into Romania. With the support of two Romanian charities, People2people, and Caminul Felix, they have been able
to collect disabled refugees and their families from Ukraine and bring them to Oradea in Romania, where they provide safe accommodation 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 helped to find longer term accommodation in Oradea. Assistance is then
given to help get them to these locations.
Two Melton Mowbray Rotarians, part of the Melton Enterprise Group, personally joined a night trip
in a coach to the border recently to collect a group of thirty refugees, seven in
wheelchairs, four blind and some with other disabilities. These people have been temporarily
accommodated at Noble House, a Caminul Felix home.
The charities rely on donations to fund fuel and vehicle hire costs, as well as accommodation 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. It is hoped that adapted
minibuses may be funded and sourced in the near future.
The Melton club has a connection with the English charity Ability-unlocked which led them to spend
seven days in Oradea with Pete Malkin from that charity, the two Romanian charities, together with
the Rotary club of Oradea.
Lutterworth Rotary is seeking to support this effort.
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