International response to the war in Ukraine: Caritas partners meet in Warsaw on June 13-15
In response to appeals from Caritas Ukraine, Caritas-Spes Ukraine and Caritas Poland, Caritas around the world has shown its support by implementing the programs to help victims of the war in Ukraine. The partners' meeting was attended by more than 50 delegates from Caritas Europa and the wider confederation of Caritas Internationalis, which support humanitarian aid in Ukraine and Poland. It was an opportunity to reflect together on the current state of response to the crisis and plan the next steps.
The first 100 days of assistance activities were summed up by Fr. Viacheslav Hrynevych SAC, CEO of Caritas-Spes Ukraine, Tetiana Stavnycha, President of Caritas Ukraine, as well as by the experts from both Ukrainian organizations.
"We divide time into pre-war and post-war. Our employees in various projects had to stop their line of work and completely change course. We reacted day by day. Caritas-Spes employees worked in shelters, having their own families in their minds and facing the need to evacuate their loved ones. Thanks to the support of Caritas Poland, we were able to set up an office in Warsaw to organize humanitarian aid, so that we can continue our activities there in case we fail to do so in Ukraine. We encounter difficulties, but we are not alone. We feel the support of our Caritas family," says Fr. Hrynevych.
Since the beginning of the war, Caritas-Spes Ukraine has provided more than 500,000 people with housing, water, food and medical support. The organization has 34 support centers. There is also a special hotline for people who need material and psychological support. More than 1,200 phone calls are received daily. The plans are to develop further and expand assistance, in particular, psychological assistance for IDPs, support for people who are temporarily abroad and expanding the call center.
Providing safe shelters for war victims, food aid and health care are the goals of Caritas-Spes Ukraine for the next year. During the wartime, our organization has helped more than 1 million people. Beneficiaries have received more than 664 thousand food and more than 268 thousand hygiene packages. Almost 33,000 people received medical care, 27,000 – safe shelter and almost 9,000 - psychological support.
As a part of the Partnership Meeting there was a Charity Forum with support from Bank Pekao S.A. Foundation – a conference with experts from public administration, non-governmental sector and business. During the first part, the participants summarized current activities to assist Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Prospects and difficulties of integrating refugees into Polish society, as well as the areas of intersectoral cooperation in providing aid were discussed. President of Caritas Poland Fr. Martin Iżycki announced the launch of 32 Centers for Migrants and Refugees in Poland, where refugees from Ukraine can find the needed support (financial assistance, language support, job search, etc.).
Participants of the Charity Forum learned about the activities of Caritas Poland after the war in Ukraine broke out, such as deployment of "Tents of Hope" at border crossings, where volunteers provided support to thousands of refugees, organization of food aid, providing in-kind donations to the neediest in Ukraine. Caritas Poland plans to organize a summer vacation for Ukrainian children and a financial assistance program in Ukraine, similar to the Family for Family program implemented in the Middle East, worth 1 million euros, as well as a psychological assistance project (also for 1 million euros). Ukrainian dioceses will receive funding for both projects.
The war in Ukraine quickly ceased to be purely regional. Its social, political and economic consequences will be felt worldwide. The conclusions of the Charity Forum focused on the need to strengthen international cooperation, including finding new channels for food distribution in the face of the threat of goods supplies from and to Ukraine caused by the war, particularly, by the blockade of the Black Sea ports.
