The Adventist Development and Disaster Relief Agency in Germany – ADRA Germany – called for donations on July 16, 2021, two days after the flood disaster in the Ahrtal, in Rhineland-Palatinate. Thanks to the great willingness to help, ADRA will be able to support a total of 2024 projects in the flood area by December 31st. At the end of 2021, the total expenditure for flood victims was around eight million euros. The aid is financed by private donations as well as donations from the network-alliance Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH), of which ADRA is a founding and alliance member.
Four major projects
According to the ADRA position paper "Findings from Flood Relief 2021" of January 2022, four major projects are also among the projects funded. The Association for Disaster Relief and Reconstruction – Die AHRche e. V. – will receive funding of 215,000 euros for the meeting place "Dorfplatz" in Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. For the kindergarten in Swisttal-Heimerzheim with rooms for up to 100 children, 280,000 euros are available for concept development, construction, and renovation measures. The "Haus der offenen Tür" in Sinzig, a contact point for child and youth care, will receive 211,600 euros in funding. 630,000 euros will go to the Lebenshilfe Kreisvereinigung Ahrweiler e. V. for a residential facility for people with disabilities in Sinzig. Subsidies will be provided for the conceptual design, conversion, and renovation measures as well as the reconstruction of the residential facility for 36 people with disabilities.
Emergency aid for charitable institutions
As a founding member and alliance member of Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH), ADRA can benefit from a strong community. Using strengths means being aware of one's own, but also joining partners. In disasters like this, the cooperation of many is indispensable. Since the activities were very diverse and large areas had to be covered, there were various focal points within the commitments. According to the position paper, ADRA concentrated on social infrastructure with a particular focus on child and youth welfare. Supported facilities were mainly parents' initiatives, support associations affiliated to schools and kindergartens. A total of 79 institutions received up to 30,000 euros each for emergency aid measures.
Emergency aid for over 1,700 households
Compared to other disaster relief organisations active in Germany, ADRA has fewer nationwide structures. Therefore, a detailed on-site needs assessment of individual households was not possible. However, AWO Rheinland e. V. was able to do this, so ADRA supported this organisation with 2.8 million euros in cash aid, which benefited 1,755 households. The small ADRA team concentrated on the quick, unbureaucratic screening of applications and on-site visits. Although ADRA as an organisation did not have an office in the flood area, there were trips to the area several times a week by at least two employees to thoroughly assess the situation on the ground.
Small-scale agriculture
Many small agricultural enterprises were also affected by the flood disaster. ADRA, therefore, decided to provide emergency aid together with LandsAid and the Schorlemer Foundation of the German Farmers' Association. An unbureaucratic disbursement of 15,000 euros per farm was made. In total, about one million euros were made available to 66 farms to repair damage caused by the flood disaster and to quickly secure their livelihoods. The Schorlemer Foundation's audit had ensured that double funding was avoided. Applications were submitted through the regional farmers' associations and disbursed by the foundation, so that effective synergies were created in the partnership. Applications were accepted from mid-August to the end of September.
Effective microorganisms
The flood disaster also washed up toxins and pollutants that settled in the houses and gardens. ADRA, therefore, provided effective microorganisms (EM) to combat odour and mould. In the month of September, 38,520 litres and 686 pressure sprayers were distributed free of charge to affected people at 20 distribution points in the flood area. Training was provided on the proper use and dosage of liquid EM. EM is a mixture of various microscopic living organisms. Applied to contaminated surfaces, they neutralise harmful putrefactive and odour-causing bacteria. The EM do not require chemicals and are 100 percent biodegradable. Effective microorganisms have already been used successfully in the past during the floods on the Oder and Elbe rivers.
ADRA soteria gGmbH founded for domestic operations
"Disaster management must be made faster, more transparent, more accessible," ADRA Germany emphasises in its position paper. Therefore, the internationally active relief organisation has taken first steps to respond to crises even more effectively in the future. With the foundation of ADRA soteria gGmbH, an institution exclusively for domestic operations, which is already active in the current flood disaster, a basis has been created for quick reactions in the future. ADRA soteria had been instrumental in setting up container villages and distributing flood resilient kitchens in the Ahrtal.
The ADRA position paper can be downloaded here.
ADRA Germany
ADRA Germany is part of a worldwide network with 118 independent country offices and about 7,500 full-time employees. ADRA Deutschland e.V. was founded in 1987 by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and carries out projects in development cooperation and humanitarian aid. The German office, with about 50 staff members, is located in Weiterstadt near Darmstadt, a few hours' drive from the flood area.
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