Nearly five months since the outbreak of war in Ukraine on February 24, Caritas Confederation member organisations have been on the ground within Ukraine and in neighbouring countries – including Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, Moldova and beyond – to provide humanitarian assistance and support to over 1.7 million internally displaced persons and refugees. As the conflict and violence continues in the region, Caritas is moving towards the next step of the humanitarian response aimed towards providing for the long-term needs of victims of war.
Caritas Ukraine currently have over 1,200 staff working on the humanitarian response. Since February, more than 1.3 million people have been provided 1,719,397 emergency services including food and hygiene kits, medical first-aid kits, multi-purpose cash grants and housing. Caritas Ukraine are currently moving towards the next step of the humanitarian response to assist internally displaced persons (IDPs) and war victims through: rent assistance, house renovations and the purchase of basic necessities, health services, employment and micro-grants for entrepreneurship and small business operations, as well as psychosocial support for vulnerable men, women, children and the elderly.
To date, 53,247 people have received accommodation through the network of Caritas collective shelters, 913,338 people have received food, over 358,951 hygiene kits have been distributed to those in need, 31 038 health-related services have been provided, 101,353 people received WASH assistance, 27,938 beneficiaries have received multi-purpose cash assistance, and 89,953 protection services have been provided.
Through the Caritas Internationalis Emergency Appeal, Caritas Ukraine has received and implemented 13,628,897 Euro in aid efforts. An additional 11,395,421 Euro has been raised through institutional and other private donations. Caritas Ukraine also continues to mobilise local resources and has received 2,571,273 Euro in the form of in-kind donations and 367,908 Euro in financial contributions for programme expenses from corporate donors.
Caritas Spes Ukraine are currently covering with assistance 23 regions of Ukraine including in more than 15,000 settlements, including frontline zones. The number of requests for humanitarian assistance is increasing every day. Since the beginning of the conflict, Caritas Spes Ukraine have provided 1,767,697 people with support.
To date, 183,520 people have been provided with shelter and accommodation and 1,251,823 beneficiaries have been provided with food and essential good. Around 60,000 people have received support, protection and childcare services, and approximately, 429,149 people have been provided water, hygiene items and detergents through the WASH programme. Over 60,600 people have received medicine and other medications through Caritas Spes Ukraine.
As Caritas Spes Ukraine moves towards the next phase of the humanitarian response, the following five focus areas have been identified: ensuring access to food and hygiene for residents of frontline areas and settlements cut off from humanitarian supplies; provision of housing and belongings of the first necessity of internal migrants, coordinate the work of the network in accordance with the updated needs, ensuring the functioning of Caritas-Spes centres (family-type orphanages, homes for the elderly, single mothers with children, patronage of bedridden patients), and preparation for strategic planning.