Ukraine response: 2022 – 2024

What did our aid to Ukraine look like?

Date: Feb 19, 2024   Place: ...   Author: Člověk v tísni   

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From Emergency assistance to recovery support: Two Years of Comprehensive Assistance in Ukraine   

When millions of Ukrainian families were forced to flee shelling in February 2022, they left their homes with nothing but the necessities. For the most part, people carried only one bag and their documents. Often, it was impossible to take any of their belongings as their houses were burning in front of their eyes. Confused and scared, with children in their arms, victims evacuated to safer places. Since the earliest days of the full-scale invasion, our team has been helping those whose lives have been devastated by this ruthless war. Despite the challenges they face, the Ukrainian people do not give up. And their resilience inspires our entire team.  

BASIC NECESSITIES AS A MANIFESTATION OF CARE 

 In the first days of the full-scale invasion, our team distributed food and hygiene kits at railway stations, host communities, towns, and villages on the front line. We delivered furniture, dishes, and warm clothes to internally displaced families. We continue this support as we understand how difficult it is to start your life from scratch. 

One of the families we helped is a large family from Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Aliona and Henadii are raising six of their children in addition to five foster children. The war forced them to move from their beloved home but did not deprive them of their desire to fight for the future. As parents, they are doing their best to ensure that their children are comfortable and safe, but they need support. That's why we brought them food and hygiene kits, which the Ukraine Humanitarian Foundation helped purchase.  

LIFE-SAVING WATER SUPPLY 

Water is one of the resources people will risk their lives for. In settlements where networks have been destroyed by rockets and shells, the death tolls are increasing. Thousands of residents near the frontline are struggling with such challenges. We are restoring water supplies and sewage systems to ensure people can access basic needs. When an explosion destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant dam, we delivered bottled water to the affected towns and villages on the second day after the disaster.  

With the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, our convoy arrived in Donetsk Oblast, to Chasiv Yar and the neighbouring settlements, to provide drinking water to around 5,000 residents.  

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 

Most IDPs struggle to secure employment, so financial support is a lifeline for them in the most challenging times. Our assistance also aims to reach vulnerable people living near the frontline who need money to meet their basic needs, such as food and medicine.  

Kateryna's family from Chernihiv Oblast had the opportunity to get back on their feet after shelling damaged their home. With funds from the European Union, we supported this family and provided them with money to restore their damaged home. 

SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH 

War does not only take lives; it also tears away at the souls of survivors. People live in a state of constant anxiety and fear for themselves and their families. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, we have significantly increased psychosocial support. Our psychologists provide individual and group counselling and use methods developed specifically for people affected by military aggression. We also offer a round-the-clock telephone support Hotline for those who dare not open up in person. 

SAFE EDUCATION 

Due to shelling and destroyed schools, thousands of children in Ukraine have no choice but to study online. The war has affected students' psychological states, emotional stability, and academic performance. To help children return to their desks and communicate with their peers as soon as possible, we have repaired 20 educational institutions and 7 bomb shelters. In addition, our team has opened 10 “Be Smart” Digital Learning Centres where students can attend workshops and improve their knowledge with additional math and Ukrainian language lessons.  

HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION 

More than 170,000 residential buildings in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged, and the number grows every day. Immediately after shelling, we try to provide victims with materials for emergency repairs. We replace damaged windows and doors and repair damaged roofs. This assistance allows people to return home without spending their money renting accommodation.  

Seven months of shelling have left terrible traces in the Pryshyb district in Kharkiv Oblast. Out of 702 houses, 500 were damaged. One of the explosions killed five women at once. It is a bit calmer here now, and people are starting to return home, but they face a difficult question: how do they repair their homes without money? The European Union is helping us to support these people.    

SHELTER FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE 

Many people who fled from shelling have settled in collective centres, and we make sure that IDPs live in comfort and safety. Depending on their needs, our team repairs the centres and provides furniture, appliances, and utensils. Residents also receive food and hygiene products.  

A former medical building in Vorokhta, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, has become the second home for people from eastern and southern Ukraine. It is home to 130 residents: families with nowhere to return and older people who cannot care for themselves.  

RELIABLE PARTNERSHIP  

People in Need has partnered with more than 200 non-governmental organisations. Close cooperation and the pooling of resources and experience have allowed us to deliver humanitarian aid to the most challenging parts of Ukraine.  

More than 200 houses were destroyed in Korobochkine village, Kharkiv Oblast. Therefore, the residents’ primary need was construction materials. Together with our partner organisation, Rescue Now UA, we provided emergency housing repair kits and hygiene products to residents.   

BUSINESS SUPPORT 

We support people who have lost all their property due to the war and admire the resolve of those who have not given up and chosen to rebuild their businesses. We have selected 150 owners of relocated and local businesses who will soon receive cash grants for development. This financial aid will help create more jobs and fill local budgets.   

Unfortunately, no one can say when this brutal war will end, but we will not give up. Every day, our team seeks opportunities to expand our programmes and help as many people affected by the war as possible. 

We want to show the real face of the occupying army

Since the beginning of Russia’s aggression, we have been supporting Ukrainian human rights organisations documenting the crimes committed by Russia during its aggression against Ukraine. Members of the organisations we support go to the places liberated by the Ukrainian Army, record the testimonies of victims and witnesses, and gather forensic evidence.

• We supported 31 organisations with grants

We continue to support Ukrainian media with national coverage as well as in regionally oriented media. We also organise safety and first aid training for reporters, human rights activists, and war crimes documenters.

• 41 grants have provided millions of Ukrainians access to vital information 

We have provided 19 rehabilitation retreats for human rights defenders and journalists. These retreats take place away from the wailing sirens in the relative safety of mountains in western Ukraine. Here, human rights defenders and journalists can take a break from the realities of war under the guidance of experienced psychotherapists.

• 420 participants were provided psychosocial support
• 510 consultations with therapists were provided to various activists

Human rights activists, who have often lost their source of income, been forced to leave their homes, or lost them because of Russian attacks, have also found themselves in a difficult situation. We have provided direct multi-purpose cash support to these people to provide living, relocation, or medical expenses.

• We supported 49 activists with direct financial aid 

We have been supporting human rights organisations, activists, and independent media in Ukraine since 2003. Since February 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine, we have focused on addressing the direct consequences of the aggression. We will continue to support:

• Human rights organisations in collecting and documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity, the documentation of which is to serve as evidence to hold Russia's political and military leadership accountable for their actions.
• Protection of the independent information space, which is a critical issue for the struggling Ukraine. Media outlets with reaches in the millions have found themselves struggling since February 2022: declines in advertising revenue have crippled their operations, and newsrooms are struggling to find new funding models without compromising their independence.
• Mental health, which is a pressing problem in Ukraine after enduring two years of violence. We consider this area to be crucial, now and in the post-war reconstruction of the country. 

In the Czech Republic, we focus on helping the most vulnerable 

Our work has focused on the most vulnerable Ukrainians who have, for example, health problems or other special needs. We help with paperwork, humanitarian benefits, finding housing, work, medical care, providing food aid and clothing, and interpreting.

• 7,403 food and hygiene or clothing kits delivered
• 27,255 people supported by social, legal, and employment counselling
• 3,550 people provided with housing or assistance in finding housing
• 4,924 people helped to secure healthcare 

Since February 2023, we have been running a telephone helpline in Ukrainian and Czech, and now also through social networks. Some requests are handled promptly, while more complex ones may take days or even weeks of work to resolve.

• 14,490 people supported by the helpline 

People who have fled Russia’s aggression frequently suffer from depression and anxiety. We provide individual and group therapy in Ukrainian for children and adults in four regions. Our psychologists use therapeutic methods developed specifically for people affected by war.

• we provided 518 individual and group psychological support sessions 

We help with kindergarten and school enrolment, provide individual and group tutoring, prepare for entrance exams and provide retro scholarships to students in complicated socio-economic situations.

• 12,464 children and adults supported in education 

We run adaptation groups for preschool children to learn how to cope with their stay in a foreign country, recover from traumatic experiences, and ease their transition to Czech. These classes also give parents the time to find jobs and work.

• 382 children attended adaptation groups for preschoolers 

Through our website tutcujte.cz we offer materials for working with Ukrainian children, we have prepared an online course for teaching professional Czech to Ukrainian teaching assistants. We have also prepared a course focused on working with children with a foreign language.

• 2,216 participants registered for the course for Ukrainian teaching assistants 

Since February 2022, we have expanded our range of materials to help teachers manage the topic of the war in the classroom. We held a series of debates with experts, discussed topics ranging from humanitarian aid to Russian information warfare, and updated our methodological guide: The Nature of Russian Propaganda.

• 15,400 people have downloaded educational materials: Contemporary Russian Propaganda
• 1,200 reprints of our updated handbook: Images of Russian Propaganda
• We have published 8 sets of methodological recommendations for War and Conflict as an educational topic  

Since February 2022, we have connected with 118 other organisations and supported their activities with funds from our SOS Ukraine emergency appeal. We worked with children's centres, fire brigades, medical clinics and the Federation of Food Banks. In selected cases, we continue to address the needs of refugees across the Czech Republic.

In cooperation with other organisations

• we provided 61,180 people with counselling, interpretation, or legal assistance
• we helped 123,615 people in the field of educational support
• we helped 28,281 people with medical consultations
• supported 57,361 people with special assistance from People in Need and the Hlavák Initiative
• Provided 9,416 people with psychological support
• delivered 366,055 food, hygiene, or clothing kits 

• We regularly monitor the political and legal terrain, which allows us to competently analyse the situation of refugees in the Czech Republic, anticipate risks and propose timely and functional procedures. We are a member of several NGO platforms and most working groups organised by ministries or the Czech Government.
• We support the opening of the Czech benefit system to vulnerable refugees. This is a solution to difficult life situations; this year, all disabled people, the elderly, mothers caring for preschool children, pregnant women, and children will also lose their free stay.
• We will work to prevent labour exploitation. The disadvantageous position of refugees (lack of knowledge, language, and rights) is often exploited by unscrupulous employers. We will continue to assist, highlight problems, and address the labour and housing market situation systemically.
• We focus on Ukrainian youth, which is a very sensitive group. Some teenagers have ended their studies prematurely to start working to help their families. Others are without family; these are at risk of dropping out of education, labour exploitation, and mental health problems. We have created 'Safe Harbour' facilities in Pilsen, Karlovy Vary, and Prague, where people in these situations can find temporary accommodation and support. 

More than 2 million people received assistance worth a total of CZK 4.7 billion

More than 500,000 donors, foundations and companies have contributed over CZK 2.45 billion to the SOS Ukraine appeal. In addition, companies and individuals have donated material aid worth CZK 270 million through us. Institutional donors provided an additional CZK 3 billion worth of funds.

So far, the SOS Ukraine emergency appeal and other donations have provided more than CZK 1.43 billion in aid. From institutional donors, we have implemented nearly CZK 3 billion worth of aid. Material donations worth CZK 270 million were also used to assist Ukrainians in the Czech Republic.

Donate to the SOS Ukraine emergency appeal: