EBRD office in Zagreb raised 100,000 euros for earthquake victims in Sisak-Moslavina County

The Zagreb office of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has launched a voluntary fundraising initiative whose proceeds will be used for the most vulnerable victims of the recent devastating earthquake. The fundraising campaign was launched in cooperation with the SOLIDARNA Foundation. During the month of the campaign, the initiative raised more than 50,000 euros thanks to numerous private contributions and the support of the Croatian Bar Association. The EBRD, as a socially conscious institution that invested this amount under its Community Initiative program, the total amount of funds raised exceeded 100,000 euros.

The Croatian Bar Chamber, which has been involved in providing assistance to earthquake victims in Sisak-Moslavina County from the very beginning, has recognized the importance and supported the EBRD’s initiative: “The Bar Associations and the Croatian Bar Chamber have so far given more than 1,600,000.00 kunas in financial resources alone to help the victims of the earthquake. We recognized the project of the Solidarity Foundation and the EBRD and we are especially glad to have participated in it.”, said Josip Šurjak, President of the Croatian Bar Chamber.

The EBRD’s Community Initiative program was launched in 2016 as a platform through which the Bank and its employees voluntarily participate in various philanthropic, social and cultural activities. “I am very proud of my team’s initiative to help the victims of the devastating earthquake. Our successful campaign, also recognized by the EBRD’s Community Initiative program, will have a lasting impact on the lives of these people. New homes, renovated buildings and more importantly: the knowledge and feeling that you are not alone in facing the consequences of this unexpected natural disaster – it is really invaluable.”, said Victoria Zinchuk, EBRD Director in Croatia.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the SOLIDARNA Foundation and the EBRD, three priority end-users have been identified, for whom these funds are intended. “In addition to taking care of individual families through the construction of Solidarity Houses and Barns, donations also go to the Vrbina Children’s Home and the Room of Miracles and will accelerate not only reconstruction but also long-term development of community social services for children and youth. We consider this an ideal example of good practice of cooperation of various sectors in the development of crisis philanthropy, the results of which are quickly manifested in concrete assistance.”, said the SOLIDARNA Foundation.

The money raised will be used to finance the construction or reconstruction of:
a) several private homes within the “Solidarity House for People” program, established by the SOLIDARNA Foundation.

b) equipping the building of the “Children’s Home Vrbina Sisak” – an institution that provides services outside the family care of orphans, neglected or abused children and children from socially disadvantaged families located in the city of Sisak. “Thanks to this donation, our children will be provided with additional facilities for the purposeful use of free time, for which we are infinitely grateful,” said the director of the Children’s Home Vrbina Sisak, Đurđica Pavešić-Herkov.

c) construction of a new “Room of Miracles” – a special institution for the therapy and integration of children with disabilities, which takes care of the development of hundreds of children. “Miracles are born where there is a lot of love. We are happy to live in a community that recognizes us and proves it to us on a daily basis. With the support of the Solidarity Foundation and the initiative of the EBRD staff, together we are starting to rebuild our new Room of Miracles.”, they say from the Room of Miracles.

To date, the EBRD has invested more than 4 billion euros in Croatia through 229 projects.