Killer Cold Weather
February 3rd, 2012
Reports received today (Feb 1) indicate that this week’s cold snap in eastern and central Europe has now killed at least 60 people. At least 30 people, mostly homeless, have died in Ukraine because of the weather. Temperatures in parts of Ukraine have fallen to -28C at night. But while the cold spell – likely to remain for several weeks – has only just begun, charity Mission Without Borders has already been rescuing those at risk of freezing.
Setting out with its Operation Winter Rescue program from the beginning of January, UK charity Mission Without Borders aims to help many of Eastern Europe’s neediest. Over 13,000 families and elderly will receive food, clothing, medication and wood for heating that will keep them alive during this winter. It costs the charity: • £15 to provide a family with extra food or clothing • £30 gives enough bedding for two children • £75 could provide additional wood for heating and cooking.
National Director of Mission Without Borders UK, David Hardisty, said “I was in Romania last week at the start of the bad weather. There were heavy snowfalls and it was bitterly cold. I visited a sponsored family living in a ramshackle building in the forest. The father was out working but the mother had spent the entire day indoors with her seven children. The children didn’t have any shoes – except for some flimsy summer-wear trainers – and so could not go to school. I visited them with two of my colleagues in the late afternoon. We took with us a variety of shoes for the children to ensure that we had the right size of shoe for each child. We also delivered several bags of foodstuffs and hygiene items, along with warm clothing for each member of the family. It was humbling to see where and how they lived.”
