Founded four years ago, LisBeyond is a property management and construction company based in Lisbon formed of Dutch and Portuguese professionals. Maud told me that “we really want to make an impact on the country with our company, both environmentally with constructions and also socially, which is what we are trying to do during this crisis”.

Maud Mosterd

Getting involved

Maud added that “the members of the company are all socially involved and when the war started, they wanted to help.” “One of the director’s, Dario, has always been involved in various humanitarian initiatives and had already started things on the ground in Poland as him and his wife have family there, so they started helping by arranging accommodation for several Ukrainians.” Following this, the company got fully involved when a property owner in Aljezur got in touch with them about the two families in need of support.

23-year-old Yuliia fled her home in Kyiv, Ukraine with her mum and 17-year-old brother and ended up meeting another family on the train via Lviv to Warsaw in Poland. The other family was a mother with her daughter, Ira, and 16-year-old son. They joined and once the group arrived in Poland, they managed to get a humanitarian flight to Portugal. Once they arrived, LisBeyond was quick to act in finding them temporary accommodation and already helped Ira and Yuliia’s mother in finding a job as both families were committed to starting a life here.

Financial support

In about two weeks, LisBeyond succeeded in finding an unfurnished apartment for Yuliia’s family despite being met with rental logistics. Maud explained that a lot of furniture is being donated which is fantastic, however, they are still looking for financial donations to support the furniture items that they have had to buy and to cover the three months of rent (a total of 2,700 euros) that they have already paid for Yuliia and her family to get this apartment.

They have set up a donation page where all the funds are going towards “paying for Yuliia’s group’s apartment and furnishings as well as arranging a school for the boys and helping cover the first months living expenses, as well as accounting and legal support”.

LisBeyond already has new families that they would like to help which is only made possible with the aid of donations and the community’s support. “We at Lisbeyond really hope everyone feels that they can come into action, whether that be to help us or to feel inspired to do something in their own way.”

For more information, and to make a much-needed donation to help Yuliia’s group settle please see https://lisbeyond.com/lisbeyond-for-ukraine/ where you can also subscribe to get regular updates. Additionally, to get in touch with Maud directly, if there is any way you can help, then please email info@lisbeyond.com.

Author

Following undertaking her university degree in English with American Literature in the UK, Cristina da Costa Brookes moved back to Portugal to pursue a career in Journalism, where she has worked at The Portugal News for 3 years. Cristina’s passion lies with Arts & Culture as well as sharing all important community-related news.

Cristina da Costa Brookes