History

Responding to the migration situation that has evolved in Hungary, we launched an exceptional aid program on July 1. In addition to assistance provided at the borders, we also supported the reception centers. 

We completed the reconstruction of a former orphanage that had been built with the help of Hungarian support. As a result of the program, a special crisis center was established. 

In Northern Iraq, as part of the international community, we started to take  part in providing assistance and assessing the needs of families escaping from the Islamic State. At the request of the World Council of Churches our staff member visited IDP camps, made proposals for the UN and other world organizations and prepared a long-term Hungarian aid program.

Following the floods and landslides in Bosnia and Serbia, we have provided on-site assistance that involved foodstuffs and clothes for families that lost everything.  In addition to emergency help, we also took part in reconstruction and rehabilitation with our local partner organization in a total value of more than EUR 200 000.

Following the phase when humanitarian aid had been provided in Kiev to those injured due to clashes in the capital, on international request our NGO joined the relief actions in several locations targeting IDPs who were arriving from the Crimea. 

As the first Hungarian NGO, in November 2013 we have launched an independent development program in Belarus. The project financed by the European Union promotes social reintegration of ex-convicts through different activities including labor market training.

In addition to Debrecen and Gyula we are already able to provide comprehensive care for the homeless in Budapest as well. We help them not only through offering opportunity for temporary staying, eating and washing but also for moving forward and reintegration into society.  

The renewed center offers an opportunity for 10-12 families simultaneously to acquire household farming knowledge and to work in the social farm created in the territory of the institution. Our aim is to enable those moving out into our halfway houses to start family farming thus creating conditions necessary for independent living.  

A temporary family shelter was established in Budapest which is specialized in providing assistance and shelter to those escaping from intimate partner violence and child abuse. The institution receives abused women and children from all over the country.

HIA-Hungary organized a complex aid program to remedy the lack of drinking water caused by the extreme drought that hit the Horn of Africa; in the frame of the program a well was also restored thus ensuring the life-giving water for thousands of people and animals in Gayo settlement situated in South Ethiopia. 

Following the disaster series hitting the island we contributed to restoration of damages and expressed compassion of Hungarian people with the reconstruction of a children’s daycare center. 

We launched a new labor-market program which aimed to effectively assist job seekers from the 18-35 age groups to find their dream job independently.

Since 2008 our institution in Szolnok has been providing assistance to those escaping from intimate partner violence as well: the Crisis Center working here offers an immediate, short-term shelter where those in distress receive full range of care and extensive professional assistance. 

Our Miskolc institution was appointed as National Methodological Center. The institution’s tasks included professional support for the 120 temporary shelters working in the country, coordination and effective promotion of their interests at government level.

Following the Sichuan earthquake we were involved in providing assistance to more than 30 000 victims: foodstuffs, blankets and tilts for construction of temporary shelters were distributed among those living in the most affected areas. 

The large-scale Danish-Hungarian pilot program enhanced reintegration of disadvantaged children and families into society. The complex program supporting 4200 vulnerable families was implemented in HIA-Hungary’s temporary family shelters.

HIA-Hungary launched its program series addressing young people with the motto ‘You also shape the world!’ in 2006. Since then the project has reached tens of thousands of teenagers in schools, festivals and in front of the computers. 

We delivered aid packages containing foodstuffs, detergents and hygienic items for victims of earthquake that hit the island of Java.  

A new institution helping addicts and psychiatric patients was opened in Szolnok. It was the first outpatient clinic for drug addicts in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county where patients’ professional care is ensured by psychiatrist, addictologist and health workers. 

Our institution in Miskolc has become a Regional Crisis Management Center. It means that the center provides shelter, care and assistance to single women and their children who are forced to leave their homes due to domestic violence. 

Joining Anikó Lévai, our World and Olympic champion also undertook the post of HIA-Hungary’s goodwill ambassador. He mainly assisted our work in international development but he is also deeply concerned about the issues connected with Hungarians beyond the border and awareness raising of the rising generation.

As a response to the humanitarian crisis evolved in Darfur province of Sudan, we contributed to food supply of children under the age of 5 within the framework of ACT. 

As the only Hungarian NGO, we have concluded a framework agreement with ECHO, the EU’s body responsible for humanitarian assistance which allowed implementation of EU-financed aid programs.

Our institution in Debrecen provides an opportunity for daytime stay and community togetherness for young drug addicts and drug endangered youths who wish to get rid of their addiction or to avoid becoming a drug-addict.

Our love.hunger campaign as a part of our national fundraising campaign was launched during the Advent period for the first time; the campaign intended to draw the attention of the public to the increased necessity of everyday assistance to our fellow creatures living under difficult circumstances and being excluded from society.

A new institution was established in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county. In our Develoment Center in Olaszliszka we provide assistance mainly to primary school students with learning difficulties who usually come from multiply disadvantaged families.

Our third temporary family shelter was opened in Békés county for families with minor children. During the maximum period of one + a half year parent(s) and children staying together as a family get a real chance to move forward with their lives. 

The second Temporary Family Shelter maintained by HIA-Hungary was established. In the still operating home shelter is offered for families who lost their housing due to financial reasons or domestic violence.

Following the spring floods of river Tisza, a large-scale humanitarian action was performed in Hungary: we assisted flood victims in a value of more than HUF 80 million. We took part in the emergency assistance following the disaster and later in reconstruction of buildings damaged by the floods and the rehabilitation works. 

We have spent a total of HUF 250 million to assist victims of the Kosovo war – primarily those who escaped to Macedonia and Albania – from partly domestic but mainly from foreign funds. 

It was the first time that we provided emergency assistance in Hungary: victims of the spring floods breaking century-old records were provided with extensive support in an amount of more than EUR 100 000.

A daytime shelter was opened in district 13 of Budapest to provide stopgap assistance to homeless mothers and their children.

In November an extremely severe flooding hit Transcarpathia. We spent more than HUF 150 million for emergency assistance and long-term support to flood-victims, and also opened an office in Beregovo to coordinate the activities. 

In Soroksár we established a Family Assistance Service to help vulnerable families in cooperation with the local government; the center is still focusing on the long-term unemployed and those receiving social allowances.

Our more than 10 years of activities in Dagestan and Chechnya (North-Caucasus, Russia) began with providing assistance to refugees.  For HIA-Hungary, it was a challenging task that ACT entrusted our organization with the leadership of its mission in the Caucasus.

In the bonds of the umbrella organization Action by Churches Together founded in 1995,  Hungarian Interchurch Aid – as the only Hungarian member - played an active role in a number of international humanitarian and development programs. 

Our first domestic institution started its operation in district 13 of Budapest. It aimed to ensure daily living for those who lost their homes.