The solidarity initiative was born to help healthcare workers in the most difficult moments of the pandemic in Spain. The high number of doctors and nurses infected with Covid-19 has encouraged the Mission Office to take care of those who care. For the first time in the history of Misiones Salesianas, the campaign "Vamos a superarlo juntos" has also made it possible to offer help in Spain itself, and it has done so in Madrid, the area most affected by the pandemic.
The "Wottoline" company collaborated in importing the FFP2 masks from China, which was possible thanks to the generosity and solidarity of hundreds of benefactors, supporters and friends of the Mission Office. The supply and transfer of the masks, before their delivery to the Community of Madrid, passed a rigorous laboratory traceability check to certify their quality; and in these days the masks are being distributed in the healthcare centers of Madrid.
At the same time, during the nearly three months of the global health emergency, Misiones Salesianas has contributed over 500,000 euros to helping nearly thirty countries meet the most serious needs due to the global pandemic.
However, more support is needed to be able to respond to more people and more countries. For this reason, the campaign “Más unidos que nunca” was established.
The requests for help from Salesian missionaries from all continents to support the most vulnerable of their respective local contexts and circumstances now exceed 6 million euros, and Salesian solidarity at a global level has already allocated more than 3 million euros. Basic foodstuffs and hygiene kits are now the fundamental products to alleviate the consequences of the pandemic.
The lockdown or confinement of families and severe contagion control measures have left vulnerable people more exposed and deprived of resources. “People who work in the informal economy, migrants, refugees, children at risk ... They are the people who need support most, because they do not have access to basic needs such as food, medicine or hygiene products,” explains Fr José Antonio San Martín, Head of the Mission Office. “Once again, the poorest people are those who suffer most from the consequences of this disease. They turn to us and need our support, so we don't want to leave anyone behind.”
