Continest × Sárkányellátó Alapítvány

Founded in response to the war in Ukraine, Sárkányellátó Alapítvány is a Hungarian humanitarian foundation that grew from a grassroots volunteer initiative into a professionally operating organization. By working closely with trusted local contacts and partners, the foundation delivers critical support to both military units and civilian communities.

We spoke with Mihály Oláh – founding member of the organization – to unravel how the foundation got in contact with Continest and why they decided to work together with us to create something unparalleled.

The challenge was simple and heavy at the same time – to provide soldiers in Ukraine with basic hygienic supplies, among fast-changing circumstances. The foundation keeps to strict legal and logistical requirements, which offered a clear framework for this project. Sárkányellátó and Continest worked up a solution together – a compact, fully equipped and functional sanitary unit, within a customized CN20 container.

The result? Elevated quality of life – and even combat readiness – for the working soldiers, as well as a partnership of complexity that has been unprecedented so far for the foundation.

Background

Founded in 2022, as a grassroots initiative made up of volunteers, Sárkányellátó set out a goal that was anything but ordinary. Three acquaintances from different areas of life – Mihály Oláh, Balázs Trautmann and Gáspár Kerekes-Nagy – were united in this mission that started out small and grew unexpectedly. In 2024, Sárkányellátó was officially registered as a foundation.

“It all started with Sándor Fegyir’s video. On October 23rd, 2022, I wrote a message to Fegyir and asked him if we could be of any help,” Mihály remembered. After authenticating Fegyir’s social media profile, the connection was almost instant: and the fundraising started.

From the start, all items have been purchased according to strictly verified demands of soldiers and civilians located in the Ukrainian war zone. Expenses are covered entirely by donations – at present, the sum of those is nearly 562 million Forints. Other than distributing objects, the foundation contributed to renovating several buildings and institutions, such as a kindergarten and a library.

Beginnings of a partnership

Having discovered the fundraising efforts of Sárkányellátó, strategic director of Continest, Dániel Tegzes offered to donate some craft spices to the soldiers. The feedback was unexpected.

“They are always grateful for the packages, but this was next level. »The spices are divine«, they said. This affected their morals greatly”, Mihály recounted.

After a few exchanges, it came to light that Dániel’s main occupation was manufacturing and selling foldable containers, serving as temporary infrastructure for mainly event or humanitarian purposes. From that point on, everything unfolded organically. The challenge presented itself: among the hostile circumstances of the Ukrainian front, basic hygiene and cleanliness is a luxury. Off-duty soldiers needed a space to shower, wash – and possibly dry – their uniforms, even when temperatures dropped below 0 degrees Celsius.

It took several rounds of mutual coordination and arrangements – finally, the solution was ready.

“We experienced nothing but patience, openness and flexibility during the process. We not only gained valuable experience, but also some new partners.” After attending Continest Defence Industry Days in September 2025, Sárkányellátó successfully collaborated with Resysten International Ltd., who provided an antimicrobial and air purifying paint coating for the inner surfaces of the sanitary unit.

Present and future prospects

This sanitary solution brings elevated hygienic conditions, as well as lifting some of the physical and mental burden during difficult times, having a long-term impact on soldiers’ day-to-day lives. The project also enabled Sárkányellátó to gain experience in organizing and managing complex undertakings such as this one.

At Continest, we believe that the foundation of a great partnership is mutual trust and flexibility. We are grateful for the clear initiative and the learning opportunities – it shows how the right infrastructure can be a key solution in times of crisis.

The rescEU program supports European civil protection efforts and contributes to the development of rapid, scalable shelter solutions for emergency response in a complex way.