Whether it is a private individual or a company, we tend to believe that our contribution to a cause does not matter. At Aliz, we would like to show the opposite. We believe in action and that we are able to make a difference. This is the approach that guides us in everything we do, in our work to support Ukraine, and in all our other activities.
On 24 February, when we read about Russia invading Ukraine, life came to a standstill at Aliz - especially because we have two Ukrainian colleagues who we really felt for. Both colleagues and managers looked at what we could do, how we could help in a situation when there is a war in a neighboring country and people are suffering just across the border.
One of the first and most important things was the safety of our two Ukrainian colleagues and their families. Even though we immediately offered to relocate them to Hungary, we accepted and respected their decision to stay in Ukraine. We provided financial support for them, and followed their suggestions regarding further assistance and support. So far, since March, we have donated $7,000 in each month to two local Ukrainian organizations recommended by our Ukrainian colleagues.
Besides financial donations, in early March we organized a material donation within the company, and gave the donations to the Baptist Relief Services. That same month a group of our colleagues went to Barabás, next to the border, to help with Caritas Hungary. The organization was receiving refugees who had managed to cross the border after endless hours of traveling and waiting. The Aliz volunteer squad was responsible for packing and organizing donations, helping carry luggage, and keeping children busy and entertained with toys, drawings, and so on. At the end, everyone concluded that their stay was worth every minute.
On another occasion in July, our colleagues spent two evenings volunteering at the Migration Aid's Refugee Shelter, a 5-storey building for a maximum of 300 people in Budapest. Apart from the usual packing and cleaning work, the most appreciated activity we could contribute to was the Ukrainian-Hungarian translation. If you want to help too, you can apply for 4-hour volunteering slots here: https://forms.gle/FDJWJCFEQFzGvAY96
Over the past few months, we have been helping in different ways and at different levels, because we believe that all help counts. We are proud of all our colleagues for standing up in a difficult situation like this and helping in their own way.
