Thus, the invasion of a neighbouring country is not only a tragedy for millions of people but also a fundamental threat to a world built on law and rules, as opposed to a world built on force.
I am glad that the Czech Republic clearly and unquestionably stands behind Ukraine, as evidenced by the enormous solidarity and aid we are providing, the support and assistance we are giving to refugees at home, and the international political and military support for the country under attack. We can be proud of that.
Thank you to everyone who has been involved in any way!"
Šimon Pánek, Director of People in Need
Helping with the reconstruction efforts
A decade ago we at People in Need began humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. In the years since, PIN has expanded its operations, secured resources, and introduced innovative programmes. PIN portfolio of aid services has grown significantly, encompassing housing, access to education and safe learning, comprehensive support to internally displaced people, access to safe water, as well as providing essential life-saving items in the frontline communities.
Today, PIN is a leading organisation in the field of aid delivery in Ukraine. PIN partner with national organisations, civil society initiatives, government authorities, and academia to strengthen the self-resilience and reliance of people, and address their current and future needs.
As we look towards the future, we are met with new objectives and challenges, which we face with courage, agility, and ambition to stay critical towards the status quo.
Our plans and priorities
Rapid Response Mechanism – Ability to react swiftly
We will continue to provide emergency assistance in the frontline communities and to individuals and families affected by drone and missile strikes, which continue to occur daily throughout the country. We are one of the few actors who provides critical assistance to the affected people to cover basic needs, including in transit centers for individuals and families, who had to evacuate from areas where the Russian army is advancing.
Financial assistance is a flexible tool that allows individuals and families to decide about what they need the most while daily support with basic tasks provided by our partners to the most vulnerable elderly and people with disabilities is designed to provide some comfort to people fleeing violence.
Humanitarian Assistance to Help People Overcome War Impact
Our teams will continue to repair damaged homes and support critical water and heating infrastructure. Together with local partners, we will continue to provide educational support to war–affected children while our psychologists will work with individuals to help them cope with the pressures of war.
Partner for local organizations in humanitarian and recovery efforts
We will continue to view local organizations as the actors of change. The work of partners we work with varies from humanitarian assistance, education, social services, community, youth and green recovery. During 2025, we will continue to exchange experiences and strengthen their capacity in the matters they find as important (e.g. continue our Fundraising Academy programme, provide partners with technical and operational support). This collaboration supports local actors to remain an active part of the social thread of society and key contributor to humanitarian response and recovery efforts in the country.
Social cohesion and human capital
In our work with veterans, youth or businesses we will integrate two aspects - supporting livelihoods and psycho-social assistance to increase their resilience and self-reliance, support employment related skills and ultimately support social cohesion and inclusion in the society. Our work also focuses of advocacy in donor and government fora to support systemic changes in the care of vulnerable groups, youth or veterans.
What we have achieved so far
2024 was yet another year of severe trials for Ukraine. The war unleashed by Russia continues to cause enormous suffering to millions of people and exacerbate humanitarian needs. We have been adapting to shifting circumstances, delivering humanitarian aid wherever it is needed.
In 2024, we supported more than 1.1 million people in Ukraine.
In response to significant evacuation movements in Donetsk Oblast, we together with partners took a leadership role in delivering Rapid Response Mechanism and Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance. In parallel, we are delivering critical winterisation assistance to collective centres in western Ukraine and expanding this support to other regions.
We have delivered fuel briquettes directly to the homes of vulnerable individuals in seven oblasts. We also piloted district heating repairs to restore access to heating services.
We are providing renewable and backup energy solutions, including solar-powered systems for critical institutions and service providers across eight oblasts. To help communities recover, we continue to repair homes damaged by shelling and rehabilitate water supply systems.
Our Education Programme repaired and rehabilitated schools, created safe and inclusive learning environments, and supported Digital Learning Centres, enabling thousands of students to continue their education online where offline access was limited. Additionally, we supported Child-Friendly Spaces, providing children with safe environments to learn and play. Our psychologists remain available around the clock to offer support to both children and adults in need.
We support economic recovery and self-sufficiency by providing microgrants to businesses, people facing economic barriers, youth, and veterans. This year, we have also worked with young people, encouraging them to make positive changes in their communities.
We are proud that our partnership portfolio includes over 130 vetted local civil society organisations.
In 2024, among other things, we rehabilitated 83 water supply and sewage infrastructures. We supported 8,906 families with fuel briquettes and provided 150 grants for businesses.
Helping tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees in Georgia and Moldova
Since the start of the Russian invasion, nearly 190,000 Ukrainians have fled to Georgia, of whom about 20,000 have remained. We have supported some of them to integrate into Georgian society. We have provided 469 Ukrainian families with financial assistance and 547 Ukrainian families with heating costs over the winter.
In Moldova, we have been helping with accommodation, employment support, or access to education. Our main activity is psychosocial assistance and education support. 702 people were helped to survive the winter, 502 covered increased heating costs. 2261 children were provided with better school conditions, 6 digital learning centres and 3 leisure clubs were operated.
Read more about our support on our Ukrainian site.
We help document war crimes
Three years of injustice, lawlessness, human rights violations, war crimes, and unending suffering. It has also been three years of incredible resilience and determination to fight evil.
Thanks to the support of SOS Ukraine, our Ukrainian partners are showing the world the true face of the occupying force and bearing witness to the destruction and misery it has brought to Ukrainians and their country.
Tens of thousands of war crimes have been uncovered and documented, and more are coming. We firmly believe that we will see the justice we desire.
Our plans and priorities
We will continue our support:
- Human rights organisations that document war crimes and crimes against humanity. The aim is to gather evidence for a special tribunal. We will also monitor the situation of civilian hostages in the Russian-occupied territories.
- Independent information spaces. Media outlets that once reached millions of readers now face critical financial challenges following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. They urgently need new funding models that preserve their editorial independence. Following the freeze on US aid, our assistance is particularly urgent.
- Mental health. Both frontline soldiers and civilians suffer from various forms of stress disorders. Therefore, we regard this area as extremely important and will continue to support it vigorously now and in the post-war reconstruction period.
What we have achieved so far
Helping to document war crimes
A few days after the start of the full-scale invasion, we began supporting human rights organisations that document Russian war crimes on Ukrainian territory.
Their members go to the incriminated places, record witness statements, and provide forensic evidence.
We support independent media
Russian aggression has also hit the media hard. Overnight, advertising revenues dropped to virtually zero, and private funding was reduced or stopped altogether.
In addition to direct financial support, we also organise assistance such as security training for journalists going to the frontline areas.
12 grants have helped millions of Ukrainians access important information.
We provide rehabilitation for activists and journalists
We provided psychosocial rehabilitation stays for members of human rights organisations and journalists.
Under the guidance of experienced psychotherapists, far from the front lines, they were able to take a break from the realities of war and regain their strength for what lies ahead.
40 people participated in psychosocial stays.
Helping to integrate Ukrainian refugees
Thousands of refugees from Ukraine have been living in the Czech Republic for three years. They have left homes they hope to return to and those to which they cannot. I am grateful for the solidarity of Czech families and companies, which allows us to continue to help.
We support mothers, their children, teenagers trying to study or work, but also older people, for whom uprooting is extremely difficult.
We help refugees lead dignified lives in the Czech Republic and find their place—no matter how long they have to stay. So that they do not fall to the bottom, complete their education work, and are able to support themselves and their children.
The future of Ukrainian refugees may take different forms. However, we will accompany them for as long as it takes.
Our plans and priorities
We support the most vulnerable, especially adolescents
With funds from our SOS Ukraine appeal, we will continue to provide a wide range of support in the coming period. Our focus will be on young Ukrainian's mental health and care for people plagued by trauma, undignified conditions, and exploitation in the labour market.
Young Ukrainians are some of the most war-affected groups. Many teenagers came to the Czech Republic without their families. A growing number of them are at risk of dropping out of education. We aim to provide them with comprehensive support—from education to psychological assistance to preparation for decent employment.
We are expanding our increasingly in-demand psychological support
The war and forced departure have left deep marks on the psyche of the refugees. Anxiety, depression and the effects of trauma are common in Ukrainian families, including children. Our experienced psychologists—many of whom are refugees themselves—provide support in their native language. We are therefore expanding our psychological support services to be available in six regions and online.
Protecting refugee labour rights
We know from our work and research that many refugees in the Czech Republic face unfair working conditions. In addition to unpaid wages and undignified treatment, they face psychological and health problems and often the threat of losing their housing. We, therefore, provide them with legal advice and crisis assistance and systemically draw their attention to these risks.
What we have achieved so far
We provide social, legal, and employment counselling
In nine regions, we provide Ukrainian refugees and their families with assistance in completing necessary documents, finding housing, decent work, medical care or school. We provide interpreting services, accompaniment to medical appointments, as well as food assistance. Our helpline continues to provide advice by phone and online.
We offer children and adults psychological help in Ukrainian
We provide individual and group counselling in six regions, as well as crisis intervention. In acute cases, our psychologists are also available online.
In 2024, our psychologists provided 1470 consultations in Ukrainian.
We take special care of pregnant women and mothers of newborns
We provide individual counselling and regularly provide essentials such as nappies, milk, toiletries, and other necessities.
We provide supervision to schools, we tutor children in Czech, we support teenagers on their way to a better future
We offer individual and group tutoring in Czech and other subjects. For older children we offer comprehensive individual support or retroscholarships.
We conduct supervision meetings for teachers and assistants in schools. In 2024, 811 of our participants were involved in 2,814 educational activities.
Preventing labour exploitation
We continue to focus on this issue; we help victims of unfair treatment and warn about the risks associated with unscrupulous intermediaries.
We have opened Safe Harbours for young refugees
In three regions, we provide temporary accommodation and social services to unaccompanied refugees aged 15-21 in the Czech Republic. 74 young clients have benefited from one of the services at our Safe Harbours.