ERA

 Projects in this program are aimed at providing concrete and timely support to vulnerable individuals and communities. Humanitarian projects can be long term (i.e. building infrastructure, advocacy, integration, etc.), or short term (i.e. emergency response and crisis intervention).

Active projects in this program include:

Refugee crisis projects – shelter, WASH, food and food security, NFI distribution, psychosocial support, advocacy

Mental Health and Spiritual Development projects work on strengthening individuals and groups through counseling and therapy, workshops, seminars and spiritual retreats.

Active projects include:

• Zoe – Life to the full – project aimed at creating a new atmosphere where it is okay to be human, to seek help, to grow, to learn.
• Christian counseling training

Evangelical Relief and Development Agency offers support to all the churches in the region

Recognizing the work of the Evangelical churches in Southeast Europe, their needs to increase their capacity and often insufficient number of human and financial resources, and the constant need for better coordination and education in different fields of social engagement, ERA offers support to all the churches in the region through:

• educational trainings and courses in the field of humanitarian work
• education in writing and submitting projects
• logistical support
• support in coordination and communication
• support in the field work during projects
• strengthening local churches’ capacity (material and financial) in implementing various activities
• translating materials to and from foreign languages
• developing corporative strategy together with other churches in Southeast Europe
• offering legal support for the churches
• developing analysis and statistics for the local churches
• communication with the media
• helping churches build relationships with local and national government, educational institutions, and the NGO sector
• helping churches network in Europe and globally

Through this support, the ERA has the goal to empower churches in Southeast Europe so they can fulfill their God-given calling to serve their communities.

Humanitarian organization Evangelical Relief & Development Agency wants to bring positive change in the world by timely responding to the needs of people affected by humanitarian disasters

Humanitarian organization ERA wants to bring positive change in the world by timely responding to the needs of people affected by humanitarian disasters. In partnership with other humanitarian organizations and local churches and communities around the world, organization ERA offers basic WASH help (water supply, sanitation and hygiene promotion), and psychosocial support. ERA Aid offers timely and adequate help, and bases its successful response to the humanitarian crisis on Sphere standards for humanitarian work.

The primary goal of our humanitarian work is to save lives, alleviate suffering and preserve human dignity according to the Gospel principles. Our work in humanitarian disasters is divided into two main categories: material help and logistic support.

Evangelical Relief and Development Agency is basing its international humanitarian work on the principles of:

Humanity (human suffering needs to be alleviated whenever encountered. The purpose of the humanitarian work is to protect life and health and secure respect to the human begins)

Neutrality (humanitarian workers cannot take sides or get involved in political, religious or ideological controversies)

Impartiality (humanitarian work must be done exclusively on the basis of need, where the priority goes to the most urgent cases, and there is no discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religious beliefs, class or political views)

Independence (humanitarian work has to be autonomous and independent from political, economical, military or other goals of the persons working in the field of implementation of the humanitarian work) Helping people affected by crises and disasters is a global problem, therefore offering humanitarian help is an imperative but also a global responsibility. As a humanitarian organization ERA wants to carry part of that responsibility, and help people in need have a quality life.

 Community development projects are aimed at strengthening capacities of individuals, churches, NGO’s and government organizations, with the purpose of increasing the quality of life.

Active projects include:

• Holy violence – consultation on the violence in churches in the Balkans
• Critique as a sign of love – learning to speak truth to power