PLN 1 million thanks to the POP Fund for post-flood assistance for firefighters and non-governmental organizations
Firefighting equipment to replace that destroyed during the battle against the floodwaters, specialized protective clothing, and aid for organizations in flood-affected regions—1 million PLN (230 thousand EUR) from a special edition of the POP Fund grant competition will be allocated to volunteer fire departments (OSP) and NGOs in 4 voivodships: dolnośląskie (Lower Silesia), opolskie (Opole), śląskie (Silesia) and lubuskie (Lubusz).
The Private Sector in Humanitarian Aid
The Polish Organizations Pooled Fund (POP Fund) was established to support Ukrainians in Poland. It was initiated by the Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM). The fund introduces a new approach to responding to humanitarian crises by engaging private sector resources and awarding the best aid projects through grant competitions.
In the first three editions, projects supporting Ukrainian refugees in Poland were selected. However, due to the scale of the September flooding in southern Poland and the fact that many organizations supported by the POP Fund operate in flood-affected areas, PCPM announced a special competition edition. The goal: to support organizations assisting in regions under a state of emergency due to the natural disaster.
The competition received 99 applications, with funding awarded to 24 projects. Most of these, 14 in total, focus on supporting volunteer fire departments. The aid primarily funds equipment to replace what was damaged during rescue operations and specialized protective gear.
Aid for Firefighters and Assistance by Firefighters
The Polish Center for International Aid (PCPM) primarily focuses on international aid and support for Ukrainians in Poland. However, due to the magnitude of the September disaster in southern Poland, PCPM became actively involved in local assistance.
– In new crises and challenges, we concentrate on areas where we can provide an added value – says Dr. Wojtek Wilk, president of PCPM and the creator of the POP Fund.
– For years, we have collaborated with professional and volunteer firefighters, leveraging their experience, as well as instructors during firefighter training in Africa, the Middle East, and Ukraine. We felt it was our duty to support the volunteer fire departments battling the floods, address their immediate equipment shortages, and assist in rebuilding, including their facilities – adds Dr. Wilk.
Developing rescue services, including fire departments, is one of PCPM’s specialties in East Africa. The foundation has been professionalizing fire departments in Kenya for over a decade and training firefighters and medics in Ethiopia. Polish instructors have also conducted firefighting training in Lebanon. This support is made possible through the Polish Aid (Polska Pomoc) program of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, in practice, through Polish instructors. Polish firefighters design training plans, exam systems, share experiences, and train teams on the ground. In Ukraine, Polish instructors train firefighters in Vinnytsia and have delivered equipment to units in Zaporizhzhia, where assistance is needed daily.
Many firefighters actively involved in PCPM’s aid projects also participated in post-flood assistance in southern Poland. They distributed equipment purchased with donations from Polish citizens to volunteer fire departments in flooded areas. Seeing the scale of the tragedy firsthand influenced the decision to dedicate the 4th edition of the POP Fund to support southern Poland.
Sponsors of the Special POP Fund Edition
The main donor of this special POP Fund edition is the PKO Bank Polski Foundation. Other supporters include Orbis S.A., owned by AccorInvest, Globalworth, and META. PCPM also allocated its own statutory funds to implement this edition of the competition.
