The Russian invasion has led the Finns to help in an unprecedented way. “Never before has so much money come to fundraising so quickly. The amount is exceptional, ”says Terhi Bruun, Unicef’s communications expert.
Something is a must do. That’s what an Inca farmer thought Karl Åberg Russia invaded Ukraine last week.
His farm has had seasonal workers from Ukraine since 2008. There have been a total of hundreds of them.
On Friday morning, Åberg posted an article on Facebook inviting all the Ukrainians who worked for him and their families to his farm. There are seats for a total of 64 people. He was the first to talk about it Svenska Yle.
Åberg tells Helsingin Sanomat that he has never been the kind of person who would help in this way before. Now, however, he felt he had no choice.
“I’ve really tried to analyze this and the best way to describe it is that I’m out of my mind. This is what is happening. When it comes to that, you can’t stay neutral. I have to do what I can. ”
Åberg Farm has a setting for 64 people.
Åberg is not the only one aroused by the war in Ukraine. The Russian invasion has led the Finns to provide aid in an unprecedented way. In addition to private fundraising and relief efforts, a record amount of monetary donations have also been made to traditional aid organizations.
In a week, the Finnish Red Cross (SPR) has raised EUR 4.7 million in its disaster fund. The Church’s Foreign Aid estimates that by the end of this week, the number of donations will exceed the two million mark.
“
“Never before has so much money been raised so quickly for emergency relief.”
In less than a week, Unicef has raised more than four million euros.
“Never before has so much money come to fundraising so quickly. The amount is exceptional, ”says Unicef’s communications expert Terhi Bruun.
Also Head of International Disaster Relief at SPR Marko Korhonen says the donation wave has been exceptionally large.
“I’ve been with SPR for 21 years, and this is by far the largest of the war fundraisers.”
Korhonen remembers only one other case during his working hours, when the desire of Finns to help has been the same.
“The 2004 tsunami in Thailand.”
“What is happening is a great injustice. When it comes to that, you can’t stay neutral, ”Karl Åberg commented on the war.
Aid organizations think that the great desire of Finns to help is influenced by, among other things, the proximity of the crisis.
“The rule of thumb is that the closer an event is to its own borders, the greater the desire to help,” says Korhonen.
Bruun and Korhonen think that the distress of children and families also helps to help. The constant flow of news on social media is bringing the war closer than before.
“The fact that families’ distress almost comes to their doorstep is sure to affect many, ”Bruun says.
Church Head of Humanitarian Aid for Foreign Aid Eija Alajarva believes that the desire of Finns to help is also influenced by history.
“Many Finns have personal experiences of the Russian invasion. Here, there is interest in helping Russia’s other neighbor, which is now under attack. ”
Korhonen also believes that the memory of war affects people’s behavior.
“Finns have war refugees in DNA.”
Karl Åberg knows the Ukrainians well, as his farm has had seasonal workers from the country for more than a decade.
When Karl Åberg posted a Facebook update on his website, he received numerous contacts from people who wanted to help seasonal workers by donating goods to them.
“Even people who are certainly not the first to donate to Unicef, for example, have contacted and offered toys and other supplies, for example,” says Åberg.
According to Åberg, there is currently no need for material assistance.
Also aid organizations receive money rather than supplies. The reason is both logistical and practical. Sorting goods requires a lot of labor, and some of the goods collected are unnecessary for locals.
“There is a lot of donation stuff flowing into Ukraine, and soon there will be a waste problem if there is stuff that is not needed,” says Eija Alajarva.
Aid organizations prefer to buy supplies on site, so that the right goods are available to those in need and do not have to be transported over long distances.
“At the same time, we support the local business community,” says Alajarva.
Marko Korhonen says that he has told many questioners directly that donating money is now the best way to help. If you feel that volunteering is a better way to help, then according to Korhonen, box collectors are always needed.
“And if it happens that a lot of asylum seekers come to Finland, then there will be a lot of volunteer places available. In that case, collection may also be required. ”
First The seasonal worker who comes to safety with Karl Åberg is a young woman with her two daughters. With these prospects, he will arrive in Finland on Thursday evening. In addition to him, Åberg only knows one other employee who is definitely coming.
“Most of this gang has said they want to stay in Ukraine for now. However, their home and all their property is there and they feel safe in the countryside for now. But the situation is alive all the time. ”
Read more: Radius Westerlund wanted to help Ukrainians – Espoo operation quickly got out of hand
Read more: Finland’s major cities send 1.5 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
Read more: “The world is so confused that we have to move on to the good side,” says an Espoo woman packing baby supplies for a long journey towards Ukraine.
Such a milieu awaits those arriving from Ukraine in Inkoo.
#Consequences #war #amount #exceptional #Russian #attack #aroused #Finns #unprecedented #desire #millions #euros #collected #emergency #aid
