OVERVIEW
After eight years of confrontation in the east of the country, the conflict in Ukraine escalated dramatically in the early hours of 24 February 2022 as Russian forces crossed the border from Russia and Belarus. Intense clashes and aerial attacks damaged water supplies, hospitals and schools, leaving hundreds of thousands of people, including children, with no choice but to flee their homes.
The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) launched the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal in March 2022 to support people affected by the conflict. This includes people who stayed in the areas where they live, those displaced elsewhere in Ukraine and refugees who travelled to neighbouring countries. There are 13 DEC member charities involved in this response. They are working with local partners on 37 projects in five countries: Ukraine,
Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary.
Two years on, and the situation in Ukraine remains volatile. The capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, continues to come under aerial threat and the number of civilian deaths continues to rise. The continued movement of displaced people within Ukraine and refugees moving to neighbouring countries and back to Ukraine can make it difficult to target support to those in need. People are still struggling to access shelter, food, essential healthcare and financial support.
This report looks at the 12-month period from September 2022 to August 2023 and gives examples of how member charities and local partners used DEC funding to respond to the conflict during this time.
This phase of the Ukraine response has focused on getting immediate support to communities affected by the conflict, such as food and essential healthcare items, while also helping people to rebuild their lives.
For example, helping refugees to settle into their new communities and supporting people to deal with the trauma they’ve faced.