The entrepreneurship training programme Start Smart, organised within the framework of the employment programme UPBEAT concluded earlier in November with 37 graduates. Designed for young people with refugee and migrant backgrounds, the programme helps them strengthen their competitiveness with AI in the business and labour market. 

We organised an international humanitarian conference in Tallinn. This year, the conference focused on institutional reforms and the funding crisis, the digital transformation, and access to crisis affected communities. With the support of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we continue providing food assistance in hospitals in Gaza, distributing over 9,000 meal portions in total. Read more on the Refugee Council website. In Estonia, 37 young people with a refugee background completed a training course on artificial intelligence. Throughout October, Estonian language learning sessions for young people were held in cooperation with Tallinn University, based on the implicit language learning methodology. The mental health support hotline for Ukrainians has received more than 2,900 calls over the past six months. In Armenia, community councils amplifying the voices of people with a refugee background were established in four new locations in October: Yerevan, Gyumri, Yeghegnadzor and Dilijan. In Georgia, a programme aimed at strengthening Georgian CSOs and civil society organisations came to an end – 19 organisations received support. In Syria, the Refugee Council is providing cash assistance to 65 families over a two-month period to help them cover their basic needs.

The Estonian Refugee Council continues to distribute food aid in Gaza hospitals with the support of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ensuring daily meals for both patients and hospital staff working under extremely difficult conditions. The Ministry’s funding will enable the distribution of over 9,000 meals in Gaza. 

The humanitarian conference organised by the Estonian Refugee Council brought together humanitarian experts and organisations from around the world in Tallinn yesterday. Now in its third year, the conference facilitated discussions on the need for institutional reform, the deepening funding crisis, digital transformation, and ways to support people in hard-to-reach areas.

Thanks to the generous support of the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, the Estonian Refugee Council has launched a new round of cash assistance for heating to help residents of frontline regions facing difficult living conditions.

On 6 November, the Estonian Refugee Council will host an international humanitarian conference at Fotografiska Tallinn, focusing on key issues shaping the sector: institutional reforms, the funding crisis, the digital transformation, and access to areas affected by crises.

Kanadas asuv väliseestlasi koondav Eesti oikumeeniline abiorganisatsioon EERO Canada aitas kogutud annetuste toel Eesti Pagulasabil ellu viia “MindSpring” meetodil toimivaid pagulastaustaga inimeste vaimset heaolu toetavaid grupikohtumisi. 

We are organising an international humanitarian conference in Tallinn on 6 November, and registration is still open. This year, the conference will focus on institutional reforms and the funding crisis, the digital transformation, and access to crisis affected communities. We opened an office in Syria to support people affected by the civil war and help them rebuild their lives. Despite the ongoing hostilities in Gaza throughout September, we managed to deliver 2,900 food portions to local hospitals. We continue to collect donations in Estonia to provide essential food aid that gives patients strength to recover and supports doctors and nurses in their vital work. Make a donation on the Estonian Refugee Council website. In Estonia, we kicked off the new season of Start Smart training on AI, with 40 young people with refugee backgrounds taking part.  Since spring, we have supported more than 2,400 people through our mental health helpline. The helpline is available to Ukrainians both in Ukraine and across other European countries, providing much-needed support to those affected by the war. We opened hydroponic greenhouses at three schools in Armenia to help address the impacts of climate change and ensure food security in water-scarce conditions. The greenhouses also promote environmental education for children and strengthen social inclusion.  We supported more than 390 Ukrainian refugees in Georgia with cash-based humanitarian aid to help them cover their basic needs.

At the end of September, the Estonian Refugee Council officially opened hydroponic greenhouses built at three schools in Armenia’s Tavush region, helping alleviate water scarcity, address climate and social challenges, and provide environmental education for children. The programme gives more than 400 pupils the opportunity to learn and experience how to grow plants without soil, while gaining practical knowledge of hydroponics and composting. 

The Estonian Refugee Council (ERC) has received official approval to open an office in Syria, aiming to support people affected by the nearly 14-year-long civil war and contribute to the country’s rebuilding efforts. The presence of the Estonian Refugee Council allows assistance both to those displaced within the country and to those returning home after prolonged periods as refugees.