Solidarity with Ukraine: one year of action.

Responding to Increasing Needs

Access to basic services for millions of people remains compromised and the severe energy crisis, combined with the bitingly cold temperatures, means that access to heating is a major issue. The help provided to civilians relies for a large part on NGOs and local initiatives, as the Ukrainian government is focusing its efforts on supporting the army.

Right now, we are focusing on responding to the humanitarian emergency but we are also preparing for the future, to help rebuild the Ukrainian nation. But as the war drags on, humanitarian aid remains the priority, especially in regions close to the front. Fondation de France is mostly active in Ukraine, where needs are greatest. Where possible, Europe-wide collaborative projects are preferred, for more impact.

Providing Food, Accommodation, and Heating for Those Affected By the War

Fondation de France has supported many projects, here are a few examples:

– World to Ukrainians has set up a shelter in Zaporizhzhia
– the Odessa kindergartens offer emergency food aid to their staff so that services can continue
– U-saved provided bread every day to 5,000 highly vulnerable people
– Électriciens sans frontières (Electricians Without Borders) and CAM-Z install generators in collective establishments like hospitals
– Angel of Salvation provides heating to accommodation centers for refugees who come from the front line or occupied areas

Taking Care of the Most Vulnerable

Mental Health Support

– IMRC, based in Kyiv, offers mental health support to people affected by the conflict, in addition to comprehensive medical assistance to war victims and elderly people
– Carpathian Foundation Ukraine supports local initiatives providing social and psychological help for displaced persons, with particular emphasis on women and children
– ProWomen has been developing a coaching program exclusively for women, and help with accessing the labor market, as they often find themselves to be the head of the family

Medical Assistance

– Across the country, the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development, a network of 18 Ukrainian organizations provides medical equipment and drugs to local communities, enabling them to care for the most vulnerable

Testimonies for the Future

As such, Fondation de France contributes to several projects documenting human rights violations in Ukraine:

– Vostok SOS operates several telephone helplines for war victims and displaced persons
– The European Prison Litigation Network protects the rights of prisoners held in zones occupied by Russia by condemning the war crimes committed in prisons
– Luhansk Regional Human Rights, which has been active in the Donbas area since 2013, provides legal advice to war victims and publishes information and testimonies recorded in Ukraine and abroad, in order to refer to the International Criminal Court in due course.