ADRA Serbia

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is a global humanitarian and development
organization with a mission to work with people and communities in poverty, distress and need, to
create just, positive and sustainable change. ADRA Serbia is part of the worldwide ADRA network,
comprised of over 130 national and regional offices. ADRA Serbia has acquired know-how in
emergency response, both in Man-Made disasters (the Balkans conflicts, 1991-99, refugee crisis
2015-) and Natural Disasters (floods in 2011 and 2014). Its approach entails long-term presence in
the affected areas in the early recovery and recovery phases, through its community based activities
and volunteer base which draws upon local Seventh-day Adventist activists.
ADRAs core development sectors are: Holistic Empowerment of Vulnerable Groups in local
communities, entailing psycho-social and economic support (through social enterprises and
otherwise), and Gender Based Violence.
ADRA Serbias team of experienced staff (40) design, implement and monitor effectiveness of project
activities, in accordance with assessed needs, ADRA policies, and donor (government and private)
requirements. Their expertise is in emergency management, psycho-social support in the aftermath
of catastrophes (through stationary and mobile teams), migrations and asylum seeking, and
managing systems of system for support of survivors of gender-based violence. It has unique surge
capacity shared by the 7,000 ADRA network personnel worldwide to the advancement of its
programs. This is combined with the capacity of its strategic partners to complements the resources
of the core ADRA Serbia office staff.
Emergency Response
ADRA Serbia has been serving the needs of disaster affected individuals and communities in the
Balkans since 1992. In the wake of emergencies such as the Balkan
conflicts, floods or earthquakes, thousands have been forced out of
their homes and left destitute. Often, they lacked basic necessitates
like food, water, and shelter. ADRA works to prevent further loss of
life by responding quickly to assess the most urgent needs
coordinating with local governments to provide medical care, food,
water, and shelter to victim, as well as psycho-social support. It
assists affected communities in the recovery and development
phase of the communities. ADRAs experience both in the Trained ADRA team staff has been present
emergency and development programs enables it to work with and continually working with the
communities in emergency situations with the developmental commuinties of Krupanj and Pradin since
devastating floods in May 2014 in
needs in mind, and devising and accomplishing developmental the
recovery of their living conditions.
programs with close attention paid to the present felt needs. Apart
from activities in the areas of WASH, Food/Nutrition and Shelter, ADRA has trained mobile teams
providing Psycho-Social support, in the emergency response and recovery phases through public
lectures, group and individual support work. These activities are transformed into local community
building resources, meaningful in the late recovery phases too.

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

+381 11 344 2625

office@adra.org.rs

ADRA Serbia has acquired considerable know-how especially in emergencies related to floods. Trained
personnel of 20, technical capacities of dehumidifiers (presently over 350) and accompanying tools,
and know-how in managing Shelter activities has recently made ADRA important partner in initial
response and recovery activities in Serbia (and Bosnia and Herzegovina). Also, ADRA has acquired
experience in distribution of cash assistance through cash vouchers, and has developed IT application
for easier and more transparent distribution of this assistance. Building trauma resilience of affected
local communities is ADRAs strategic goal. Trauma & resilience is where ADRA network learns from the
state of art insights through the partnership with key medical and academic institutions active in this
field. It has initiated and established Coalition for Psychological Support in Individual and Collective
Catastrophes, gathering local NGOs and renowned health institutions across Serbia with human
resources for reacting in local and regional projects. The Coalition is significant resource to be utilized
both in emergency and regular circumstances (more on the later under "Holistic Support").
Since July 2015, ADRA Serbia has started response to the refugee and migrant crisis, the largest hitting
Serbia given its prolonged character. Again, distribution of aid is combined with context-tailored
comprehensive protection support entailing informational, legal,
medical and psycho-social support first aid, referral, and mediation in
communication with the state actors and other service providors. The
success of ADRA`s outreach team responses have resulted in it becoming
UNHCR`s partner of choice since March 2016. ADRA has served in the
last 12 months over 46,000 refugees through its program and has
continual activities in all hotspots - entry points to Serbia, and the key
transition center - the capital of Belgrade. It pioneered in establishing
cross-sectoral Asylum Info Center in Belgrade, working 24/7 continually
providing indoor and outreach programs along the mentioned lines. The
Native-speaking translators are playing
important role in all ADRA`s activities
aiming at supporting refugees who are
passing through Serbia or seek asylum
here. Lina Shalabi is half-Syrian, halfSerbian and helps all beneficiaries feel
at home and receive human and
professional support

second innovative approach was working on the trains which

transported refugees from south of Serbia (where thousands entered
Serbia) to the north-west (where they continued journey to the EU), and
has launched 24/7 Refugee helpline. The same set of activities described
was offered there. Its present focus is on providing shelter and set of
protection activities for Children and Youth in Belgrade.

On the top of that, ADRA believes in raising awareness campaigns. It produced a short documentary
(Paracin Shield) on the recovery of flood-affected population in Paracin in 2014, and is about to release
a documentary on the refugee crisis, displaying the crisis from a human perspective of one of the
translators, Boushra Jaber, a Lebanese PhD candidate studying in Serbia, who became part of ADRA
staff.
Gender Based Violence
ADRA has implemented various gender and child rights related projects
since 2005. It has networked with public and private bodies in
developing systems for prevention and tackling of domestic violence.
Since 2006, two Safe houses have been established in Kragujevac and
Smederevo (central and upper-central Serbia). It has coordinated
complex multi sectoral and multidisciplinary support system for children
and women victims of domestic violence.

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

+381 11 344 2625

These two (brother and sister)

found its haven in the safe house
in Kragujevac. Up to 40% of the
Safe houses beneficiaries are
children.

office@adra.org.rs

The system incorporates developed protocols for integration and coordination of law enforcement,
medical, legal advisory, psycho-social teams expert interventions and support to the victims. ADRA`s
Safe houses themselves are where basic survivor-protection
(safety, accommodation) is combined with other essential
services (psycho-social and assistance in acquiring financial
independence). The aim is always to strengthen victim`s
capacities for sustainable and independent life.
ADRA backs its efforts by activities of sensitivisation of general
population and stakeholders on the issue of domestic violence.
This includes partnering with top-tier art institutions (like
A scene from a top-tier drama Trpele (Abused).
ADRA Serbia has partnered with top-tier Belgrade
Belgrade Drama Theatre), broadcasting promotional videos,
Drama Theatre in raising awareness on gendercovering sale exhibitions, book publishing and promotions, and
based violence, its roots and ways to fight and
prevent it.
roundtables. Safe houses are always with strong local
ownership, eventually becoming sustainable and locally operated, with minimal outside help.
In acquiring experience in the provision of services to victims of domestic violence, ADRA has profiled
itself as competent for sharing know-how with relevant stakeholders and partners. Its experts
conducted trainings for governmental and CSO representatives of 9 Serbian municipalities. It aimed at
equiping the staff of elligible institutions for provision of diverse services to victims in accordance to
new, more restrictive national legislative, and for networking and creating context-sensitive, effective
and multi-disciplinary platforms in this respect. Thus, ADRA plays a role of empowering the CSOs in this
developmental sector.

Holistic Empowerment of Vulnerable groups in local communities

ADRA believe in the importance of comprehensive/holistic approach
to the wellbeing of a human being and human communities. This is
reflected in its commitments to holistic empowerment program to
various vulnerable groups, involving humanitarian, psycho-social and
economical empowerment of individuals and communities. The
objective is restoring or creating social capital which enables human
flourishing.

Total of 40 Roma youth from Belgrade area

are educationally and professionaly
empowered which enhances their
employability, social inclusion and reduces
reasons for economically motivated asylum
seeking in Western Europe.

Special attention has been given to the

Roma youth. Social exclusion of Roma
minority in Serbia creates both short
and long-term negative consequences for this group, for the Serbian
society and for bilateral relations between Serbia and EU countries.
Legal invisibility of Roma, their marginalization, exclusion from the
educational, inadequate competitiveness at the job market, makes
them prone to poverty, further deprivation and loss of quality life.
Briquette working center in Subotica
employs 6 youth with intelectual
disabilities who benefit from it as working
therapy but also as their first income
generation activity.

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

Concurrently, this group become a burden to the national and local

welfare systems. Largest number of asylum seekers from the Western
Balkans to Germany are of Roma nationality. This burdens the bilateral
+381 11 344 2625

office@adra.org.rs

relations in many ways, including the possibility of reentering visas for citizens of Serbia. ADRA is
partnering with national, local, educational institutions and Roma OCS to empower young Roma
families educationally, socially, and economically, especially those living in the Belgrade area, where
largest number of economically motivated asylum seekers in Germany and Western Europe are
reported from. Key partners are local schools with best practices in
enrolling Roma children in the educational system, and the national
Council for Advancement of Roma and Implementation of Decade of
Roma. This program entails working with whole families.
Another vulnerable group ADRA focuses on (towns of Subotica and
Kraljevo, northern and central Serbia) are youth with intellectual
disabilities. Again, through multi-sector partnerships, therapeutical
resources are enhanced and social entrepreneurship developed. The
benefits are multifaceted - psycho-motoric, psychological, social and Textile working center in Paradin, engages
35 individuals from vulnerable groups who
economical.
have also survived flooding. Working
ADRA has initiated creation of Coalition for Psychological engagement has therapeutical effect but
Support in Individual and Collective Catastrophes which is a resource also is growing into social enterprise with
to be utilized in emergencies but also in regular circumstances. income generation opportunities.
Presently, the Coalition`s human resources are present in 5 localities/towns and are already made
part of programs for holistic support to different vulnerable groups. A program is in development of
involving teams of ADRA/Coalition psychologists in units for palliative care in their local
communities.

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

+381 11 344 2625

office@adra.org.rs

Donor
/
Project info

Project Title

Assistance to
Refugees

UNHCR
$400,000

Targeted Areas
Beneficiary No.
Preevo (south of Serbia)
3,000+

March 2016-ongoing

Protection
Support to
Refugees and
Migrants in
Serbia

Oxfam / DFID
170,000

Dimitrovgrad (eastern
Serbia), trains transporting
refugees from Preevo to
Croatian border (southnorth)
7,000

Human
Solidarity: Relief
Aid and
Protection for
Refugees in
Serbia

Swiss Solidarity,
Winifried L. Stevens
Foundation
$480,000

ADRA Germany
161,000
September
April 2016

2015

ADRA network
89,000
August
2015
January 2016

Preevo, Miratovac,
Belgrade
13,500

Project Interventions

24/7 outreach activities through

mobile teams offering informational,
psychological, practical and legal
assistance, mediation with the public
officers, advocating, monitoring and
referring
cases
of
violence,
unaccompanied minors, etc plus
distribution of winterization and
hygiene packages.

24/7 outreach activities through

mobile teams offering informational,
psychological, practical and legal
assistance, mediation with the public
officers, advocating, monitoring and
referring
cases
of
violence,
unaccompanied minors, etc plus
distribution of winterization and
hygiene packages.

24/7 outreach activities through

mobile teams offering informational,
psychological, practical and legal
assistance, mediation with the public
officers, advocating, monitoring and
referring
cases
of
violence,
unaccompanied minors, etc plus
distribution of winterization and
hygiene packages. The same activities
focusing on Children and Youth.

Upscalling
Refugee
Protection and
- Humanitarian
Assistance to the
Refugees
in
Belgrade
and
other hotspots

Belgrade, borders with Running the largest public collection

Macedonia, Bulgaria and and distribution of relief aid center in
downtown Belgrade, serving 500
Croatia
refugee daily; building capacities of
10,000
ADRA in the areas of child protection,
unattended minors protection, and
integrating them in the present
responses; creating media material
for raising awareness and fundraising

SAFETYnet: Infocenter and

Outreach
- Services for
Refugees in
Belgrade

Belgrade region,
12,000 refugees

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

+381 11 344 2625

Establishing the only cross-sectoral

refugee protection hub in Belgrade,
entailing tationary and mobile
outreach teams delivering set of
supports to refugees, especially the
EVIs.

office@adra.org.rs

Ministry of Foreign Empowering

Affairs of Federal Roma Youth to
Republic of Germany Reduce Asylum
Seeking
50.000
June 2015 - October
2015

Four formal and informal Workshops for preparation for

Roma settlements in the professional education for 40 Roma
youth; Professional education/courses
Belgrade region
for 32 Roma youth; Minimum 20
Roma youth receive in-kind grants
120
and income generation support to
raise sustainability of their families

Shield: Psychosocial support of

Flood-affected

Municipality of Paradin

Norwegian RAINBOW:
Recovering
Living Conditions
of of Flood 50.000
Affected
Households in
July 2014 January
Paradin
2015

Municipality of Paradin

ADRA International
$ 50.000
February
2015
November 2015

Royal
Embassy

Royal
Embassy
10.000

150

0
Norwegian Toward
Tolerance: Local
Communities
Against GenderBased Violence

October 2014 - March

2015

Empowering
Affected
Households in
226.000
Paracin toward
Sustainable
July 2014 January
Living Conditions
2015
Swiss Solidarity

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

1200

Continual
psychological
support
(group and individual) is offered to
vulnerable
and
traumatized
individuals, with emphasis on selfsupport; Working therapy in the
Textile working center enhances
psycho-social
support
and
empowerment of beneficiaries, while
creating
income
generation
opportunities.
Cleaning
and
drying
flooded
households of most vulnerable (400);
provision of 115 NFIs for recovery of
living conditions of most vulnerable
food-affected families.
Side activity of psycho-social support
to most vulnerable flood-affected
families.

Municipalities of Leskovac, Performance of the drama play

Ni, Zrenjanin and Novi Sad "Abused" in four theaters in Serbia,
and
conducting
open
round
conversations
with
the
audience
1800
/citizens - major raising awareness
events on the role of all actors in local
communities
in
creating
zero
tolerance
toward
gender-based
violence

Municipality of Paradin
1050

Cleaning
and
drying
flooded
households of most vulnerable (350);
provision of 280 NFIs for recovery of
living conditions of most vulnerable
food-affected families.
Side activity of psycho-social support
to most vulnerable flood-affected
families.

+381 11 344 2625

office@adra.org.rs

ADRA network
89.000
May-June 2014

ADRA network
37.000
2014

Czech MFA
11.000
4/2014 6/2014

ADRA
130.000,00
10/2010 12/2012

ADRA network
55.000,00
11/2010 4/2011

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

BEDROCK:
Recovering
Housing
Conditions
Krupanj

Krupanj

in

450

Mapping of affected area, creating

detailed data base and shared with all
stakeholders. Assisting in cleaning of
flooded premises, their drying and
preparation for recovery activities.

Support system
for Children and
Youth
with
disabilities
in
Subotica region

City of Subotica (Northern Provision of Room for psycho-sensory

stimulation of children and youth with
Serbia)
developmental issues, creation of
cross-sectoral network of support and
launching of social entrepreneurship
320
in a partnership network between
ADRA, local authorities, socially
responsible private sector and local
NGOs.

Strengthening
the
Support
System
to
Children
with
Disabilities
in
Kraljevo region

City and municipality of Provision of Room for psycho-sensory

stimulation
of
children
with
Kraljevo
developmental issues, creation of
cross-sectoral network of support to
220
them and their families.

Centre
for
prevention
of
domestic
violence
in
Smederevo and
upper-central
Serbia

Upper-central
Serbia Provision of facility for safe house;
(Branievo and Podunavlje training of safe house staff; provision
of set of services to the victims;
districts).
developing multi sectoral and multimunicipal
protocol;
networking
different
stakeholders;
public
awareness
and
sensitivisation
activities;
fundraising
and
258
sustainability activities.

Early Response to Kraljevo region

Kraljevo Earthquake
2010

Provision of food, hygiene and

outdoor
survival
parcels;
coordination of work with local
government.

3200

+381 11 344 2625

office@adra.org.rs

ADRA network
270.000,00
9/2006 1/2010

Safe house for the Kragujevac,

region
victims of family
violence in umadija
region

340
SlovakAID/ADRA
185.000,00

umadija Provision of facility for safe house;

training of safe house staff;
provision of set of services to the
victims; developing multisectoral
and
multi-municipal
protocol;
networking different stakeholders;
public awareness and sensitivisation
activities;
fundraising
and
sustainability activities.

Farming
Babunica, Serbia
Opportunities
for
Babusnica FOB

6/2008 3/2009
Austrian
Development
Agency/ ADRA

Humane
Jarkovac
Neuzina

120 (direct beneficiaries)

250,000
life
in Jarkovac and Neuzina,
and Serbia

176.562,00
6/2008 12/2009
650

Radoslava Grujica 4, 11000

+381 11 344 2625

Enhancing local household small

businesses through investments in
husbandry and agricultural premises,
stocks and equipment, and building
human management capacities; 41
households supported.
Improving housing and household
management capacities in most
underprivileged communities of
Jarkovac and Neuzina; 10 houses
refurbished; 10 families provided
with
livestock;
training
in
sustainable
budget
planning,
livestock business, and general
household economizing.

office@adra.org.rs