MU donates to help Syrian refugees

L-R: Michael Opriesnig, Deputy Secretary General of the Austrian Red Cross, MSc Student Elena Zepharovich, Harvey Goldstein, Vice-President of MODUL University Vienna

In keeping up with MU’s commitment to helping others and putting a focus on charity, €1000 was recently donated to the charity ‘Nachbar in Not’ (Neighbours in Crisis) by the staff and faculty. The umbrella charity, which was founded in 1992 to help victims of the Balkan war, has recently turned its attentions to the refugees from the ongoing civil war in Syria.

The initiative was organized by MU’s Sustainability Committee, with the initiative of MSc Student and Committee Member Elena Zepharovich. She planned a charity auction at the annual Christmas Party which raised over €700 and was topped up to €1000 by the administration.

“It was Christmas time and the news was filled with reports of Syrian refugees who have lost everything. The UNHCR counted more than 5000 refugees everyday arriving in the neighboring countries, so I felt the urge to do something,’’ Says Elena. ‘’An auction seemed like a fun and simple way to raise money and attention for the topic. As Nachbar in Not is collecting donations especially for Syrian refugees be able to survive the winter cold, they  are a reliable and effective choice to make sure the money gets to where it is needed the most.’’

With tens of thousands of refugees fleeing their homes and the arrival of winter and freezing temperatures, Nachbar in Not’s current focus is on providing warmth and shelter for the refugees. Suggested donations can help families to afford oil and heaters, warm blankets, and clothing to protect themselves from the bitter cold.

The Syrian Nachbar in Not action consists of eight Austrian aid agencies including the Red Cross and Caritas, with the media support of the ORF, Austria’s national public broadcaster. Donations are easily made through the ORF website by online banking, credit card, by SMS or telephone. For more information on how you can help, visit the ORF website (in German) to donate.