The $13 billion global private equity firm The Riverside Company has set up a shelter for Ukrainian civilians who urgently need a safe harbor through Alter Pharma, its Belgium-based pharmaceutical portfolio company.
The shelter is located in a vacant office space and has 15 dorms on the upper floors and common areas on the ground level. The space will serve as a temporary safe haven for families until they have a long-term place to stay or the military offensive ends, officials said.
“The war in Ukraine effects every one of us,” said Karsten Langer, Riverside managing partner. “This Ukraine Shelter, in which so many companies and people are involved as partners, is the most inspiring and vital initiative, and we are delighted to support this at Riverside. It has our total commitment.”
With the support of partners and the dedication of volunteers, Riverside has managed to turn an empty office in Anderlecht into a safe space for 18 Ukrainian families. The focus in recent weeks has been to support these families towards effective social integration.
All children school-aged children are attending school, making new friends, joining sport teams, and learning the language, officials said. Thanks to donations, Riverside has provided around 10 bikes, phones and laptops to improve their everyday life.
The stories from people crossing the Ukrainian border at night, families sleeping in shopping malls and metro stations, and the images of children being separated from their parents encouraged Alter Pharma to partner up with the landlord, site manager, and other tenants of the office site in Anderlecht where its headquarters are located. The shelter initiative is being supported by Alter Pharma’s majority shareholder,
The Riverside Company, as well as the Anderlecht Commune and the Embassy of Ukraine in Belgium, has teamed up with other private logistics partners that are offering their expertise to foster success for the initiative.
The Riverside Company is an international private equity firm that has made more than 870 investments since its founding in 1988. Currently, the international private equity and flexible capital portfolios of the firm includes more than 130 companies.
Those interested helping to further the humanitarian aid to Ukrainians can donate to the following charity account: IBAN BE20 3632 2054 0856 / BIC BBRUBEBB.
The collected funds will be directly used for the logistics and supplies of the shelter and for the care of the residents (food, furniture, medical care, health and safely, etc). For details about this initiative and information on how to become a partner, please contact help.ukraine@alterpharma.be. You can also get in touch with Alter Pharma by phone on +32 (0)2 526 64 100, or visit Alter Pharma’s LinkedIn page.
