Logistics Group Reacts to Earthquake Tragedy with Temporary Housing

CROATIA – AUSTRIA – With it being the Christmas period and pandemic news dominating the headlines the earthquake which struck Croatia on 29 December killing at least seven people and leaving many homeless, occurred with many people outside the country unaware of the tragedy.

Fortunately logistics group cargo-partner, headquartered in Fischamend, Austria has interests in the region and has made a concerted effort to alleviate some of the suffering. The quake has left numerous people without a roof over their heads. Many are still sleeping outdoors, and the situation is further aggravated by the cold weather.

To provide rapid help for the victims of the earthquake, cargo-partner has teamed up with local organisations and donated twelve new containers for those who have lost their homes which will serve as housing for these families while local authorities help them rebuild their properties.

As of January 21, eight of the containers have been delivered to their respective sites. The remaining four will be delivered by January 23. Each container is equipped with basic furniture and facilities, including four beds, a small kitchen, a heater and a chemical toilet. One container houses four people, so that the project can provide shelter for at least twelve families.

Upon hearing of cargo-partner’s initiative, the Croatian humanitarian organization Dobra Volja contacted the logistics provider to team up on a further project. The nonprofit organisation collected several pallets of donations from Germany, consisting of clothes and other basic necessities. cargo-partner provided the organisation with free warehousing and logistics services, and in turn, Dobra Volja gave part of the goods to the people moving into the new container homes.

In addition to the cargo-partner team in Croatia, which donated five containers, the cargo-partner organisations in Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina have also joined the cause.The initiative is being closely coordinated with local authorities to ensure that the help reaches those who need it the most. Zoran Starcevic, Managing Director of cargo-partner in Croatia, outlined the situation:

“Despite the cold and the snow, many people are currently sleeping outside or in their cars. Since many of these families own livestock, they have to stay close to their homes. We are doing everything we can to provide help where it is needed as quickly as possible.

“Our corporate motto ‘we take it personally’ also includes a strong sense of social responsibility and solidarity. Beside the donation from our company, I would also like to thank our employees in Croatia, who immediately organised privately and collected money to donate to those most strongly affected by the earthquake.

”The families we have been able to help so far are very grateful for this effective temporary solution. Most importantly, the container homes give them a warm place to stay while they work on rebuilding their homes. The situation is still very critical, but luckily, many other organisations have launched similar initiatives to offer support for the victims. Help is on the way, and this gives people the strength to keep fighting for a better future.”

Photo: Courtesy of cargo-partner.