Emergency aid for people in Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has caused a devastating humanitarian crisis. Millions of people are displaced, struggling to meet basic needs, and struggling with intense emotional distress. During this war, Caritas and its network in Ukraine have reached over four million beneficiaries through 45 local Caritas organizations. Caritas collaborates with over 600 communities through its local organizations, hubs, and mobile teams. Over the past years, we have been providing safe spaces, humanitarian aid, psychosocial support, social services, and more. Our multi-sectoral approach ensures comprehensive assistance to those in need.

Our goal is to support people in need and affected communities from crisis to stabilization, development, and community-based resilience/social cohesion programs, aiming for long-term sustainable solutions.

In response to the urgent need for humanitarian response due to the increasing number of shellings and air attacks, Caritas is delivering emergency assistance, including food and hygiene packages, providing shelters, financial aid, and psychosocial support for the affected population.

Haunting Reality: Kharkiv - a city where the rhythm of life is punctuated by the explosions of war

What is it like to live under constant fire? The city never sleeps. Shellings and rocket attacks are relentless. By day, enemy reconnaissance drones hover over Kharkiv almost daily. By night, enemy drones terrorize the city.

Guided aerial bombs and rockets target ordinary buildings in Kharkiv. A construction hypermarket has burned to the ground. Strikes hit the central park and residential homes. Russian missiles have targeted the "Faktor-druk" printing house. The areas around schools and kindergartens are eerily quiet, with no children playing. All schools and preschools in the city are closed due to the constant threat of shelling. Many schools have been destroyed by aerial bombs. However, the children who remain in the city continue their studies. A second underground school has been opened in Kharkiv. The metro school, opened last year, was the first institution providing underground education, where children learn in underground corridors and subway crossings converted into classrooms.

One of the areas where Caritas is providing support is Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine. Andrej and Rita from the Social Aid Service, a partner of Caritas Austria for over 30 years, give insights into the current situation: “Many people in Kharkiv have almost adapted to daily life during the war, but the social situation in this city of over a million residents remains challenging, and humanitarian aid is still urgently needed. We work in the Saltivka district, one of the hardest-hit areas, running projects focused on humanitarian aid, family and child care, and mobile care services. Many elderly residents and families depend on local social assistance services. Numerous resettlers from other parts of the Kharkiv region rely heavily on humanitarian support, with many being housed in dormitories at schools and factories in the city”.

Thanks to your support and donations, we can provide essential humanitarian aid to Kharkiv and other cities in Ukraine.

From basic necessities to long-term recovery, Caritas provides a wide range of support for people in need:

• Our program areas include food security, offering food assistance through packages, vouchers, and hot meals; ensuring safe drinking water, and distributing hygiene kits while developing sustainable water solutions.
• And shelter, managing temporary shelters and facilitating transitions to permanent housing with repair assistance and modular home programs.
• We provide multi-purpose cash assistance for emergency and stabilization needs, and support livelihoods with cash-for-work programs and small business grants.
• We also protect crisis centers, psychological support, and legal advocacy.
• Our inclusion programs cater to people with special needs, while our education initiatives create child-friendly spaces and support for displaced families.
• Health services cover home care for the elderly, palliative care, and primary medical care clinics.
• We also focus on migration and reintegration, preventing human trafficking and aiding vulnerable displaced people.
• Social cohesion and community development programs empower local groups with training and mini-grants, while our volunteer program recruits, trains, and manages volunteers to foster community solidarity and support our efforts.

Andrej and Rita, who represent Social Aid Service in Kharkiv, are deeply concerned that people are getting tired and that support from the West might stop soon but at the same time, all the problems for the Ukrainian people continue. This fatigue affects everyone, including donors and supporters, especially considering the third year of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

“We cannot afford to give up," Andrej emphasizes. "We will continue to help people, support the population, and fight for a future and peace." As Caritas we 

As Caritas, we remain on the ground to provide the best possible care and support for people in need in Ukraine . With your support and your donation you make this help possible! 

Links:

• Info of Caritas Austria support for Ukraine (GER)