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Emergency Appeal: priceless help of the world to Ukrainians

Emergency Appeal: priceless help of the world to Ukrainians

Cozy centers for the whole families to live in, the most necessary humanitarian aid, great moral support — our compatriots affected by the war received this all thanks to the Emergency Appeal Project ("Response to emergency situations and the consequences of hostilities in Ukraine"). It is a fraternal hand to save Ukraine extended by the international "Caritas" family: Caritas Europa and Caritas Internationalis.

Its project manager, Olena Shevchuk said, Emergency Appeal was issued by Caritas Internationalis as a response to emergency situations. Even before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Mission was working out a response plan in case of the full-scale military actions. As part of the preparations, an audit of the recreation centers and their preparation for the potential reception of refugees were carried out. The readiness of the centers helped to quickly respond to the challenges of the war, and already on the first day of the full-scale invasion, the centers received the first displaced persons.

On February 24, a fundraiser for Ukraine was announced on the Caritas Internationalis website. On the same day, the Caritas-Spes Ukraine team started active work on the project on their way back from a strategic session in Odesa. Olena Shevchuk recalls how their bus instantly turned into a multilingual meeting place: English, German, Polish, Slovenian, Hungarian were heard there... Shocked by the tragedy in Ukraine and outraged by Russian aggression, partners called us and offered their help. That is how Emergency Appeal became the project "Response to emergency situations and the consequences of hostilities in Ukraine". Although the Caritas-Spes Ukraine Mission had international support before, this was the first time the organization took part in a humanitarian and emergency project of this kind.

Receive, feed, comfort

Already on February 24, people who left their homes in the war zone were received by the Mission's center in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Internally displaced persons from Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Donetsk regions became our first beneficiaries.

Three more such centers in Zhytomyr and Ivano-Frankivsk regions were urgently preparing to receive displaced persons and future refugees. However, the enemy intensified the attack on the northern front, and Zhytomyr region was no longer safe. Therefore, the Caritas people concentrated all their efforts to organize shelters in Western Ukraine.

"Our experience in implementing similar projects was not big at that time, but the support of Caritas-Space Georgia and the care of its director Anait Mkhoyan helped us take into account all the important points," Olena shares her memories. "Anastasiia Lytvynova, Anna Handros and other colleagues from Catholic Relief Services (CRS) were very helpful. I and other Caritas people involved in the project were internally displaced persons themselves at that time, worried about their families, exhausted by spending nights in basements, by dangerous trips with a minimal amount of belongings. Along with beneficiaries, we lived in the centers for IDPs."

Currently, 34 centers of the project have been opened in seven dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine. In each of them, Ukrainians affected by the war can live free of charge with all household amenities. They have wholesome three meals a day, convenient laundry, and comfortable conditions. Providing the necessary humanitarian aid restores a sense of home to those who have been forced to lose it.

Employees and volunteers of the centers help their residents solve problems with documents, if any. Each center has psychologists whose support makes it easier to overcome the effects of stress. There are also animators for children. After all, the Emergency Appeal Project aims not only to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine, but also to promote the spiritual revival of people wounded by the war.

How Emergency Appeal changed Caritas-Spes Ukraine

According to Olena Shevchuk, the project greatly consolidated the efforts of the dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine and regional Caritas organizations. Priests and nuns actively joined in with requests for help.

On the basis of the information provided by them about the needs of the population, it was possible to develop the whole strategies for providing assistance in conflict-affected areas and more remote areas of displacement. The logistics of delivering humanitarian goods gradually improved. Every week tender announcements are made, proposals are collected and product suppliers are selected. Emergency Appeal significantly supports the Ukrainian economy in the conditions of the military crisis.

The project implementation started with 15 people on board, and today there are about 100. "Our team has grown. We faced certain organizational challenges, because we had to communicate in a new way within the organization, exchange information with the centers, and agree on legal issues. Growing 6-7 times in a month and a half is a huge progress," says Olena Shevchuk. "We very quickly master new communication, management and interaction skills.

The mission invited new experts, conducted trainings on safeguarding and psychological social support (PSS). Some of our fathers, priests and sisters were experienced in conducting spiritual exercises, camps and gatherings. No one divides people by faith, we help regardless of beliefs. I see great unity of Emergency Appeal participants, readiness and desire to help everyone in need." Adds Olena Shevchuk.

To date, 59,401 people have received assistance as part of the Emergency Appeal Project "Response to emergency situations and consequences of hostilities in Ukraine".

13 July 2022
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