Several initiatives are being promoted in the Algarve to help the people of Ukraine who have had to endure a life-changing war in the last week.
The Association of Ukrainians in the Algarve in Faro has launched an appeal for food, medicines, hygiene products, clothes and other important items such as blankets, flashlights and power banks.
The full list can be found on the association’s Facebook page (Associação dos Ucranianos no Algarve), while donations can be dropped off at a collection point on Rua Tenente Coronel António Palermo Oliveira, Lote 68, in Faro between 9am and noon and 4pm and 7pm.
São Brás Council has joined the plight and teamed up with the Association of Ukrainians in the Algarve and the Association of Romanian and Moldovan Immigrants, having set up a collection point for donations at Dr. José de Sousa Pires municipal pavilion.
The pavilion will be open from 8am to 10pm on weekdays, and tomorrow (March 1, Carnaval) between 9am and 1pm.
Local gym group Gymnasium is also helping raise awareness about an urgent campaign which aims to collect as many items as possible until Tuesday. All items will be taken in a van departing from the Algarve on Wednesday directly to Ukraine.
Donations can be dropped off at any of the group’s gyms (Portimão, Faro, Olhão and Tavira), at Viveiro Flores Pendulares in Quelfes and at Restaurante Caravela in Moncarapacho.
Albufeira’s volunteer firefighters have also joined the cause and are collecting donations at the local fire station. The firefighters are also seeking volunteers to help receive and organise the donations.
Many other national initiatives have been announced.
The Portuguese branch of Catholic charitable organisation Cáritas has launched its own campaign to raise funds for its branches in Ukraine, its bordering countries and to improve the organisation’s response to refugee families in Portugal.
“We took this measure following the request for help which we received from Cáritas Ukraine, which has been intensifying its response to the population and whose needs increase daily,” said Cáritas Portugal president, Rita Valadas.
She added: “The aid will come in the form of food, medicine and shelter, but also urgently responding to the dramatic situation of thousands of displaced people who need immediate help.”
The União das Misericórdias Portuguesas (UMP) – charity institutions run by Portugal’s Santa Casa da Misericórdia – has also called on every Santa Casa in the country to provide refuge to Ukrainians fleeing their country due to the Russian invasion (click here).
