ACCOMMODATING REFUGEES in Hungary

As far as accommodation is concerned, to date, 90 Ukrainian devotees have come to Hungary, including 32 children. Some devotees were in transit and just stayed overnight, others are staying longer term to rest and weigh up their options.

Presently there are 60 Ukrainian devotees (18 children) in Hungary, some are housed with devotees, some in the Budapest temple and others in the New Vraja Dhama farm community. Five families (7 Vaishnavis and 4 children), are in New Vraja Dhama and have expressed a desire to be a part of the community long-term.

ISKCON Hungary will be receiving another 30+ devotees soon, and are in communication with another 30 who are expressing a desire to come.

Members of the Crisis Coordination team, Bhaktipada Goswami, and Nilamani Cakravarti devi dasi are working in cooperation with local devotees to help the Ukrainian devotee refugees; picking devotees up from the border, feeding them, giving them accommodations, and providing practical help.

FOOD RELIEF FOR REFUGEES

As far as food distribution is concerned, the Food for Life Hungary team has also been on marathon feeding refugees on the Ukraine/Hungarian borders, in refugee shelters in Budapest, and in the countryside as well on the request of the local government and the owners of the shelters. The daily distribution of food is between 600 – 2,000 plates of hot prasadam, alongside fruit, bread, and biscuits.

On the request of the Indian Embassy, Food for Life also took part in Operation Ganga, feeding thousands of Indian students fleeing Ukraine into Hungary. At the peak of the operation, they were delivering 1,500 hot meals, altogether delivering 6,000 plates of hot food to the students.

All this on top of their regular Food for Life activities to the Hungarian population, 2,000 hot meals daily – local congregation devotees were brought in to assist with the increased seva.

More recently prasadam/food distribution to refugees has been focused on two train stations in Budapest and six refugee centers scattered across the country, averaging around 600 hot meals daily, soon to increase to 900 as more refugee centers are established as a result of the increasing number of new arrivals.

We would like to thank our congregation for their kind help, and also our sponsors and supporters for assisting us in this time of need.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
All glories to Sri Sri Radha Syamasundara!