The aim of the “Let’s Erase the Differences!” campaign is to help reduce the inequalities among children that arise from financial hardship by providing them with donated school supplies. According to the experience of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, it is highly significant for children facing difficult circumstances whether they can start the school year with equipment comparable to that of their peers. If they are not confronted with shortages and differences, they are less exposed to stigma from their peers, feelings of shame and, as a consequence, the risk of dropping out of school.

The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid launched its nationwide distribution campaign in Debrecen on August 25, where 120 primary and secondary school students received the supplies they need to start the new school year. Following the distribution of school bags and school supplies, Péter H. Giflo, Deputy Executive Director of the foundation, said that one of the most important tasks of the organization is to support families and children in need.

“We are in contact with families who share both the difficulties and the joys of their lives with us. We see and experience that purchasing school supplies can be a serious challenge for them. But when we hand over school bags, stationery and notebooks, and see the genuine joy on the children’s faces, it also gives us renewed strength in our service. This is precisely why the Reformed Church established the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid: to provide help to people who are facing hardship and are in need.”

The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid announced its nationwide collection campaign in June, which was supported by a large number of individual and corporate donors. Throughout August, the foundation also organized collection drives at stores across the country. The 1,321 children receiving support include children growing up in large families, children living in single-parent families, children living in disadvantaged settlements, as well as children from Transcarpathia, Partium and Vojvodina.

The central mystery of the day revolved around a question that resonated with many: Where has rest disappeared to? Although summer is often associated with sunshine, holidays, and relaxation, it seemed as if rest itself had quietly vanished. To solve the mystery, participants embarked on a detective-style adventure consisting of six stations. Before and after lunch, they tackled a variety of logic puzzles, riddles, and skill-based challenges, deciphering secret codes and collecting clues along the way. Through teamwork, creative problem-solving, and the clues they gathered, they eventually uncovered the answer: rest had never truly disappeared. Instead, it served as a reminder that the most meaningful moments of summer are not always found in inactivity, but in shared experiences, laughter, new friendships, and time spent together.

The programme offered a meaningful and enjoyable experience for participants of all ages. During the communal lunch and throughout the rest of the day, everyone had the opportunity to engage in informal conversations, get to know one another, and reflect on the day’s experiences. The event concluded in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, celebrating community, shared activities, and togetherness.

The programme is being implemented within the framework of the Promoting Social Inclusion and Self-Reliance of Refugees project, with the support of HEKS, the United Church of Christ, the Presbyterian Church (USA), and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Founded twenty years ago, the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid not only supports families in need in their everyday lives through its charitable activities, but also regularly assists institutions carrying out diaconal services. As part of the approximately 170 pallets of in-kind donations offered by UNHCR, new mattresses, bed linen sets, towels, sleeping bags, hygiene products and nappies are being distributed. Nearly one third of the donations supports the operation of 84 institutions in Hungary, while a further 30 percent helps organisations beyond Hungary’s borders. The remaining supplies serve as a crisis reserve to support the operations of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid and enable a rapid response in emergency situations.

“Our priority is to support those institutions that stand alongside patients, elderly people and vulnerable individuals every single day. Our Christian faith inspires us to take responsibility for those who are most in need, and we believe that tangible forms of care – a clean bed, a warm blanket or access to basic hygiene – can provide real hope and preserve human dignity,” emphasised Viktória Katona, Executive Director of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid.

For decades, the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid has carried out charitable and diaconal work in Hungary and throughout the Carpathian Basin, paying special attention to supporting socially disadvantaged people, the elderly, those living with illness or disabilities, and people facing crisis situations.

UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, protects and supports refugees, stateless people and those forced to flee their homes worldwide by providing humanitarian assistance and promoting long-term solutions.

Our Search and Rescue Team successfully completed all tasks of the international rescue exercise, working alongside Greek and British partners in accordance with INSARAG guidelines. During the exercise, the team demonstrated their expertise in rope rescue operations, canine search and rescue, and drone-assisted area reconnaissance.

The Hungarian Reformed Charity Aid’s Search and Rescue Team carried out the rescue of an injured pilot from a crashed aircraft using technical rope rescue equipment, while their canine and drone units searched for a missing person. Thanks to Níla’s rapid indication, the missing person was located within a short period of time, and our team safely evacuated them from the difficult terrain.

During the second scenario, the team had to search for and rescue missing persons trapped among the ruins of a collapsed building. Once again, our search dogs performed exceptionally well, accurately identifying the locations of the injured, greatly assisting the rescue operations. Following this, the casualty was secured on a stretcher and safely extracted from a one-metre-diameter concrete pipe using rope rescue techniques.

As the final element of the exercise, our drone unit surveyed an earthquake-affected area, providing detailed information about the condition of buildings and the possible locations of survivors, thereby supporting rescue decision-making. The exercise evaluators highlighted the excellent cooperation between the teams, the safe execution of tasks, and the outstanding performance of our search dogs.

These are exceptional and courageous professionals for whom such days are about continuous development, gaining experience and strengthening teamwork – and we are proud that they are members of the Hungarian Reformed Charity Aid team.

Founded twenty years ago, the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid has continuously supported families in need throughout the Carpathian Basin through its charitable activities. Earlier this year, the UNHCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency) offered the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid 170 pallets of new humanitarian aid, including bed linen sets, towels, sleeping bags and hygiene products. Nearly one third of the donations have been distributed in recent months to diaconal and social institutions in Hungary, while a further 30 percent can provide assistance in war-affected areas. The remaining supplies serve as a crisis reserve to support the operations of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid and enable a rapid response to emergency situations.

Four trucks are transporting the approximately HUF 40 million worth of material donations to Transcarpathia. The first shipment arrived on 11 June in Tiszaujlak, near the border. From there, through the mediation of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church District, the humanitarian aid will be delivered directly to vulnerable families in war-affected settlements in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

Following the unloading of the truck, Sándor Zán Fábián, Bishop of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church District, said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had visited Transcarpathia on 9 April, where he thanked the local population for their perseverance and asked people not to forget that winter could cause serious difficulties for those living in Eastern Ukraine.

“We heard this message and thought about how we could help the communities on the front line who are the most vulnerable. This is how we reached out to the Hungarian Reformed Charity Service, through whom we received this support, which we can now forward. These products can be essential for families who are in extreme need or forced to flee their homes,” he said.

He added that they pray for the war to end as soon as possible, but until then they want to improve the sense of security and the circumstances of their brothers and sisters who are facing the greatest burdens. “We would like them to feel that Eastern and Western Ukraine are not separated from one another; we stand in solidarity with each other and help one another wherever we can,” the bishop concluded.

At the handover ceremony, Viktória Katona, Executive Director of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid, described the creation of this donation effort as an act of divine providence:

“Exactly at the time when our brothers and sisters in Transcarpathia reached out to us for help, the United Nations Refugee Agency offered this donation to our organisation. Glory be to God for bringing this request for help before us and allowing us to support families suffering from the war with basic yet indispensable donations, such as a warm blanket, a pillow, or family hygiene packages containing toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo and soap.”

The managing director greeted those present with a message from Scripture:
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

Representatives arriving from the Sumy and Kharkiv regions expressed their heartfelt gratitude to both the leadership of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church District and the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid. They shared that thousands of people live in these communities without access to shops or pharmacies, and alongside everyday hardships they must also cope with significant emotional and psychological burdens.

“Near the front lines, children experience things and gain knowledge that they should never have to know. They can distinguish the sounds of drones and missiles at any moment, but they cannot imagine what it is like to sit at a school desk and be part of a classroom community. In such circumstances, it is deeply moving to experience that help arrives from Hungary and that the Hungarian minority living here also stands with us in our time of hardship.”

According to various surveys, the cost of preparing one child for the new school year typically amounts to HUF 40,000–60,000 for families today. In the case of children starting first grade, the necessary school supplies, school bags, sports equipment and other items can cost even more.

The aim of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid is to support at least 1,358 disadvantaged students with the essential items needed for the start of the school year. The charity organisation is accepting in-kind donations at its nationwide network of offices until 10 August. The campaign primarily collects new or good-condition school bags, notebooks, stationery, drawing supplies and other school equipment for both primary and secondary school students.

During the summer, there will also be several opportunities to join the initiative through in-store donation drives. In addition, the programme can be supported with financial donations via the adomany.jobbadni.hu website, by bank transfer to 10702019-85008898-51100005, or by calling the donation line 1358.

The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid will organise in-store collections during the second week of August in Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged, Ózd, Hódmezővásárhely, Mátészalka, Balatonfüred, Sátoraljaújhely and Békéscsaba.

We believe that a school bag, a pencil case or a pack of notebooks represents much more than just school supplies: it can mean an opportunity and hope for a child. Through joint efforts, we can help ensure that as many students as possible can begin the new school year with joy, confidence and all the equipment they need.

Since the outbreak of the Ukrainian-Russian war, hundreds of thousands of people have fled from Ukraine to Hungary, including many Transcarpathian Hungarians. The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid was among the first organization to mobilise its staff and volunteers to provide immediate assistance to those fleeing the armed fighting. Our foundation has been helping refugees with food, hygiene kits, information, spiritual support and shelter. Charity Service staff and volunteers have so far provided assistance in 29 locations across the country.

Since the beginning of this humanitarian crisis, our organization has provided tens of millions of Hungarian Forints worth of durable supplies of food and sanitary products to those suffering from armed struggle. Also we provided emergency aid packets to those who remained in Transcarpathia. Our donations have reached approximately 461 tonnes, of which 280 tonnes of durable food delivered to Transcarpathia, we have been able to provide shelter for around 7,000 people and we have helped over 200 000 times at our points of presence.

You can help too, here is how:

You can help the humanitarian aid program of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid in the following ways:

Accomodation

The greatest demand is for a temporary accomodating place, so the organization asks everyone who can provide accommodation to contact the Charity Service at karpataljaert@jobbadni.hu.

Donation

Donation line: 1358 (all calls and SMS represent HUF 500 support)

Online donation: www.adomany.jobbadni.hu

Additional donations are expected from the bank account number of the charity service:

Domestic reference: CIB 10702019-85008898-51100005 (Notice: National Co-operation).

In case of donation from abroad:

IBAN: HU67 1070 2019 8500 8898 5110 0005

Bank name: CIB BANK LTD.

SWIFT code: CIBHHUHBXXX

Bank address: H-1027 Budapest, Medve u. 4-14.

Material offers

Donations of durable food, toiletries and cleaning products are welcome at the warehouses of Hungarian Reformed Church Aid (Budapest, Debrecen-Ebes, Gelénes), but please contact karpataljaert@jobbadni.hu to arrange your donation in advance, and for information on the exact address and opening hours of the warehouses.

More information: www.jobbadni.hu/ukrajna

Thank you very much for supporting our ministry with your donation!

This is the third time for Hungarian medical team to assist local people who fled from Myanmar to Southeast Bengal, Cox’s Bazar so that those in need can receive medical attention.

Previously Action for Defenceless People Foundation regularly organized specialist missions in Bangladesh during which 70-80 surgeries are performed on average over two weeks, working around the clock for patients with an injury or developmental disorder who would otherwise have no chance of healing. They already visited Cox’s Bazar’ camp in 2015 and donated 1,000 liters of milk for the refugee camp residents in 2017.

In recent months there was a time when 15,000 Rohingya came to South Bangladesh daily. The overall Rohingya population may range from 1.5 to 2.5 million. Cox’s Bazar is estimated to accommodate 1.3 million (!) refugees so far.

The Hungarian Reformed Church Aid and the Action for Defenceless People Foundation hope that their joint mission will prove that the Hippocratic Oath and human values can exceed any borders and limits and that the mission will contribute to the further improvement of the relationship between our countries.

„Our work is just a small drop in the ocean of humanitarian efforts, but we strongly believe that every drop counts in such a difficult situation.”

We ask everyone with their possible donation to stand beside those who are poorer even than us, demonstrating international solidarity, engagement and fraternal solidarity of our Reformed Church.

Bank Account details:

Name: Hungarian Reformed Church Aid Foundation

Address: 1146 Budapest, Hungaria krt. 200.

IBAN account number: HU67-1070-2019-8500-8898-5110-0005

SWIFT-kód: CIBH HU HB

Name of the Bank: CIB BANK Zrt.

Address of the Bank: 1027 Budapest, Medve u. 4-14.

Please write on the cheque or transfer: “Mission Bangladesh”

We welcome all cheerful contributor offering, we know that the most important donation that we can pass on! Please, Brothers and Sisters pray for all victims of the catastrophe, members of mission, blessing and success of the mission of Bangladesh!

100 million forint worth aid offered by several Hungarian charities is sent to the ones in need in the Carpathian Basin by eight trucks. The customs clearance happened on Monday.

The supply contains non-perishable food, medical aids, and hygienic products but since this is only a temporary help Mr Sándor Pál the chairman of the Hungarian Reformed Church Aid’s advisory board emphasized the importance of the continuous presence and the spiritual aid in the region.

’The people are prostrate, the insecurity is huge.’- he said on Monday in the morning programme of the M1 TV channel.

In Ukraine the value of money deteriorated to its one third in the past year, in many households even paying the overhead expenses presents a problem and the jobholder men are conscripted to the army.

Besides us, Caritas Hungarica, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, the Hungarian Red Cross and the Hungarian Baptist Aid are involved in the current project to which the Unified Hungarian Jewish Congregation (EMIH), the Saint Luke Greek Catholic Charity Service and the Hungarian Johanniter Order joined. The Ministry of Human Resources, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as the local government of the Ukrainian minority in Hungary took part in ensuring the convoy reach Ukraine.

To be able to make the indigents in Ukraine feel that they are not alone, we help them and are open to any generous help.