In Slovakia, a new extremely important aid program for the most vulnerable categories of refugees who found refuge in this country after January 1, 2024 has been launched. The initiative was organized by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and was designed to provide basic needs and provide social protection to those who found themselves in a difficult economic situation due to fleeing war or persecution.
The program focuses on supporting the most vulnerable groups, including large families, single parents with several children, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. In the current difficult circumstances, where many refugees have to start their lives from scratch, such support becomes crucial to ensure their survival and social stability.
One of the key objectives of the program is to provide cash assistance to meet basic needs such as food, housing and medical expenses. An important aspect is that the assistance is aimed exclusively at those who do not receive support from the local social security or labor administration. This makes it possible to reach those categories of the population that are most in need of help, but are left out of the attention of local programs.
The program identifies several main groups that can claim financial assistance. These include:
- Single parents raising several children on their own.
- Large families facing special challenges due to the large number of children.
- Families with small children who need special attention due to the age of the children and limited opportunities for earning.
- Families where there are people with disabilities who need constant care and additional costs for medical care.
- Elderly people who do not have working family members and are not able to provide for themselves.
- Persons with serious illnesses that require special treatment and support.
The application procedure is clearly structured and includes several stages:
Sign up for an interview. Refugees can register through a hotline or online registration. One of the mandatory conditions for submitting an application is the presence of an active Slovak phone number, which simplifies communication with potential recipients of assistance.
Personal interview. After registration, applicants receive an invitation to an interview. On it, they must provide documents, including identity cards, bank details, as well as medical certificates, if necessary. The interview is a key stage, because the needs of each family are assessed based on the submitted documents.
Decision making and payments. After verification of all documents, applicants receive a decision via SMS within four weeks. The amount of assistance is determined individually, depending on the number of family members and the level of its vulnerability. The calculation is carried out using a special online calculator.
Overall, this program is an important step in the direction of providing immediate and targeted assistance to those most in need of support during difficult times.
