Two new projects have been launched in Kharkiv and Zhytomyr regions with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and Caritas Slovenia

The war has been going on for almost a year and shows no sign of abating. This winter, the humanitarian situation has only worsened, as many Ukrainians have to endure the cold season without electricity and heating. In addition, hostilities do not pass without a trace for children, causing irreparable damage to their physical and psychological health. It is especially difficult now for children with disabilities, because the problem of socialization of young people with special needs in these conditions is only getting worse.

In order to improve the quality of life of the most vulnerable categories of Ukrainian citizens, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and Caritas Slovenia, Caritas-Spes Ukraine started implementing a new program, which includes humanitarian assistance to families in the city of Kharkiv and the Kharkiv region and the reconstruction of the Rehabilitation Center for children and young people with disabilities in the village Zarichany of Zhytomyr region.

Provision with food kits and means of heating in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region

With the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia, which provided Caritas-Spes Ukraine with financial support in the amount of 100,000 euros, at the end of 2022, our team was able to hold a tender for the purchase of humanitarian kits for the most needy sections of the population in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region. These include IDPs, families whose homes have been damaged by war, large families, families raising children with disabilities, people with disabilities and the elderly, women and single persons in households.

As a result, in order to meet the most urgent needs of citizens and protect them from the cold during the winter period, 400 holiday food kits, 200 warm blankets, 100 heaters and 700 stoves were purchased.

The distribution of food, blankets and heaters started in January at our social center in Kharkiv. To distribute stoves, the Caritas-Spes team is currently creating lists of people who do not have electricity and need them first.

Last week, the first stoves were delivered to the remote de-occupied villages of the Kharkiv region, where the means of heating are now the most necessary. Residents of Kharkiv and residents of the surrounding areas will receive stoves in the Kharkiv social center upon invitation.

Since the first days of the full-scale war, the Caritas-Spes Kharkiv team has been under constant fire, but it is thanks to the powerful support of our partners that it continues to respond promptly to the priority requests of the affected citizens.

Renovation of the future Rehabilitation Center for children and youth with disabilities in Zarichany

One of the priority requests of citizens for Caritas-Spes Ukraine has always been and remains the care and rehabilitation of children with disabilities. After all, despite numerous laws adopted in the country to improve the quality of life of children with special needs, only 4% of them study in inclusive classes and spend most of their free time at home. And now, when parents are at the front and need to take care of children with disabilities around the clock, the need for such centers is more urgent than ever. That is why the Caritas-Spes Ukraine Mission is building a center for the rehabilitation of children with disabilities in the village of Zarichany of Zhytomyr region.

In this space, Caritas-Spes Ukraine will develop a comprehensive long-term rehabilitation program for children and youth with special needs, serving these target groups mainly from Zhytomyr and neighboring regions during the war, as well as children and youth with special needs from the entire territory of Ukraine in the post-war period. The rehabilitation program is planned to reach up to 1,500 children and youth with disabilities per year.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia allocated financial support in the amount of 200,000 euros to carry out repair work in the rehabilitation center for people with disabilities.

At this stage, we have already started with the installation of gypsum plasterboards on the walls and ceilings of the building, the arrangement of the roof lining from the outside, the creation of a rainwater collection system and the selection of floor coverings in the interior of the building for their further installation. Finishing work around the exterior windows of the building, finishing of walls and ceilings and preparation and painting of walls and ceilings in the building are planned in the near future. According to the plan, the repair work should be completed in mid-March.

If these opportunities are provided, many children and young people with disabilities in Ukraine will be able to progress in their development, and the positive consequences of this will be felt throughout their lives.

On behalf of the entire team of Caritas-Spes Ukraine, we express our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and Caritas Slovenia for their openness, understanding of our needs and willingness to help Ukraine. This testifies to our unity in the ability to feel other people's pain and the desire to do everything possible to improve the living conditions of Ukrainians.

This project is co-financed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Slovenia. The project/ statement etc. express the opinion of Caritas Spes Ukraine/Slovenia and it doesn’t represent the official position of Slovene government.