ETV portal-about Pristanište, September 5, 2024.
Since March 2022, 1,268 people, including 372 children, have lived in the shelter of the Pristanište Foundation, which provides assistance to refugees from Ukraine and internally displaced persons from Russia and Belarus, ‘ said Vladimir Shmelev, one of the founders of this organization.
At a breakfast for journalists in Budva today on the occasion of the International Charity Day, he said that out of the total number of people who lived in the temporary home, there were 669 people from Ukraine (including 245 children), 577 from Russia (including 122 children), and 16 people from Belarus (including four children).
In addition, according to Shmelev, 23 dogs, 35 cats and four parrots temporarily lived in Pristanište.
‘3,459 people received various types of assistance — psychological, legal, and material,’ Shmelev said.
The charity organization ‘Pristanište’ was created by volunteers in Budva in March 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale war against Ukraine.
‘Montenegro ranks 1st among all countries (by number per capita) to receive refugees from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus in the period from 2022 to 2024. ‘Pristanište — is a temporary home and the only shelter in Montenegro that accepts refugees with pets, as well as people with special needs’, – underlined in the message.
On September 5, this organization turned 2.5 years old, and at various times about 440 people worked or volunteered there.
The Pristanište Foundation helps its community to learn the Montenegrin language, learn about the history and culture of Montenegro (teachers and lecturers — Elena Zelenskaya, Predrag Krkelić, Daliborka Uljarevic).
‘Pristanište graduates join the life of Montenegro: they create new creative teams, beauty salons, car service stations, cafes, construction companies. They work in Montenegrin schools, hospitals, and veterinary clinics. They volunteer on fires, help homeless shelters, support Montenegrin eco-initiatives (for example, help clean beaches), ‘ the report says.
The Foundation plans to continue its work.
‘In 2025, the priority area will be the ‘Sleep in Silence’ program, which gives Ukrainian citizens the opportunity to spend two weeks in Montenegro, where there is no threat to life. In 2025, 50 percent of the space will be allocated for this program to be placed in a temporary home, ‘ the charity said.
