Loza Foundation: "The situation is desperate for the poorest people of Europe – more aid needed"

While the eyes of the world turn towards Ukraine, the energy crisis and high inflation, the poorest people are even worse off. The situation is beyond desperate for many of them. Loza Foundation is working to improve the living conditions of families with children currently living in extreme poverty in North Macedonia and is increasing its efforts to deliver humanitarian aid before the winter.    

"We are apprehensive about the trends we see worldwide, and we can only keep our fingers crossed for a mild winter. The high food prices and lack of firewood make people desperate, and they are forced to leave their homes in search of warmth and money for food", says Sabina Grubbeson, Secretary-General, Loza Foundation.

The current crisis in Europe puts more and more people into extreme poverty, and the people already in that segment find themselves in an even worse position.

"We are receiving worrying statements from our aid workers in the field, who tell us that many families have to sell the few possessions they own and flee to other countries in Europe. They are often refused on the border and are not allowed to gain entry to the new country, and when they are sent back, their situation is even worse than before.”

This autumn, Loza Foundation has been working intensely to gather funds and organise aid deliveries for the winter, in cooperation with companies such as Shepherd of Sweden. The employees of this shoe company have collected and donated warm clothes for children and adults, while the company donates winter shoes and warm slippers. Shepherd of Sweden will also pay for the freight costs.

"Shepherd of Sweden has been Loza Foundation's business partner since 2021. We have our manufacturing in North Macedonia, work actively with the Global Goals of the UN, and therefore want to act locally to combat poverty. Loza Foundation's strong presence in the country means shorter routes between the sponsor and the recipient, and the donations are put to good use. As we can see the need is increasing in line with the crisis in Europe, we increase our efforts, and there is an aid delivery on its way to North Macedonia as we speak. Through Loza Foundation, we are pleased to be able to contribute to a slightly warmer winter for the poorest and most vulnerable", says Maria Leijonhufvud, Head of Design and Sustainability, Shepherd of Sweden. 

Earlier this year, Loza Foundation received a donation from Mia of Sweden, which contained 6,000 garments, warm jackets, sweaters and warmly lined trousers for children aged 1-8 years. This summer, the jackets have been packed with a few other garments inside, thus making the jacket the actual packet and creating a clever Zero Waste solution without any additional packaging. Furthermore, Vagabond Shoemakers have contributed with shoes and L:a Bruket with sanitary items.

"The response from Loza's business partners and the public has been fantastic and has helped us create more aid packages. Clothes and shoes that would fit children aged 9-15 have also been collected by private individuals."

Up to now, administering and organising second-hand clothes and shoes has involved lots of work, and in order to make this process more effective and for the aid to reach as many people in need as possible, Loza has started working with Arbetscentrum in Varberg.

"Esther at Arbetscentrum reached out to us, offering their help with packaging as well as contributing with things that may be missing for our aid packages."

Arbetscentrum is an operation run by the municipality, offering daily activities for people with disabilities. They have recently incorporated second-hand goods with activities such as washing clothes, sorting, drying and ironing. Quite simply a perfect match for Loza Foundation, which also runs projects to improve the rights of disabled people.

In the project ‘Families with children in extreme poverty', Loza Foundation are putting in hands-on efforts for the poorest and most vulnerable people in Europe. Focusing on the UN Global Goals for sustainable development, their work directly addresses the first four goals: No poverty, Zero hunger, Good health and well-being, as well as Quality education for everyone.

"During 2022, we have increased the project from approximately 100 children and adults to just over 200. We are now preparing a national project in North Macedonia and have visited 14 of the most disadvantaged areas this year. The purpose of this national project is to 'educate a generation' and thereby create the prerequisites to reduce poverty. In the long term, going to school and learning how to read and write is the way out of poverty. Through education, people can get a job and become a part of society", says Sabina Grubbeson.

Give a Christmas present to the poorest families in Europe!

Thanks to our business partners and other joint ventures, Loza Foundations will be able to continue to work in the field and send aid deliveries.

However, we sadly see less financial support coming through from both companies and the public while the needs are ever-increasing. This is why we need more people to help out: monthly donations, sponsorships and business partners.

With more support, we can carry on and increase our efforts and reach even more people.

"Why not think of Loza Foundation as a gift for someone you care about? A sponsorship is a beautiful gift, which not only brings joy to the recipient but also to the person in extreme poverty who can survive the winter and have faith in the future", says Sabina Grubbeson.

Loza Foundation Business Partnerships

If you want to learn more about our business partnerships and how these enable Loza Foundation to help more families with children escape extreme poverty, please click this link. To become a business partner, please contact info@lozafoundation.org

Do you want to set up a monthly donation

As a monthly donor, you will continuously support the work of Loza Foundation. You can read more about monthly donations on our website. Become a monthly donor here.

Families with children living in extreme poverty

The support and mentor program' Families with children living in extreme poverty in North Macedonia' supports the UN Global Goals for sustainable development through goal number 1, No Poverty. Read more about the UN Global Goals here.

For more information
Sabina Grubbeson
Founder and Secretary-General
+46733-213 823
info@lozafoundation.org 

Loza Foundation works for the most vulnerable people in the poorest countries of Europe. The foundation was founded in 2017 in Sweden. In collaboration with the local population we take concerted action within institutions for people with mental health issues and physical disabilities, at orphanages and other operations for women and children that are particularly vulnerable. https://lozafoundation.org/en/