MORE SOCIAL WITH MORE DISTANCE – donation of IT equipment for nursing homes in Serbia

2020-06-12

Аs a support of the fight against the global pandemic caused by the COVID19 virus, Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) and the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, signed today an Agreement for donation of IT equipment to nursing homes and gerontological centers in Kruševac, Subotica, Šabac, Dimitrovgrad and Novi Pazar, to ease the isolation for the beneficiaries.

On this occasion, Minister Zoran Djordjevic, director of ASB Serbia Gordan Velev and directors of nursing homes and gerontology centers in the mentioned cities, gathered in the Palace of Serbia.

„ASB and the German Embassy have proven to be socially responsible in this situation and this initiative came on their proposal, to donate equipment to the Centers, which will be very important for our beneficiaries, while on the other hand, this will could be a pilot project showing that this approach should be applied in all other nursing and gerontology centers in Serbia” , said Minister Djordjevic.

ASB, in cooperation with the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the German Embassy in Serbia, managed to provide support for 5 nursing homes and gerontology centers in the Republic of Serbia in IT equipment, valued of 21,000 EUR.

“Through the good cooperation between ASB and the Ministry, as well as the cooperation of the directors of nursing homes in Subotica, Sabac, Novi Pazar, Dimitrovgrad and Krusevac, we managed to organize this action in less than a month. These institutions are just one pilot project, which we hope to expand in the coming period to other nursing homes and gerontology centers in Serbia”, pointed out Mr. Velev.

Given that these institutions work with the most vulnerable population at the time of the COVID19 pandemic, in order to facilitate isolation, by sharing IT equipment, the idea is to enable beneficiary’s easier and more frequent contact with family and friends. Namely, the centers will be awarded with a set of computers, televisions, cameras, speakers and other accompanying equipment, so that their users can strengthen or establish regular online communication with their loved ones while respecting the requirements of social distancing.

In addition to this action, the donation also aims to support the education of the oldest citizens in the use of new technologies, and the idea is that users of the centers gain knowledge and experience in basic use of information technology.

After signing the donation agreement between ASB and the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, ASB signed an agreement with each of the directors of the centers individually.