Ukraine: a year later, Christian NGOs are not relaxing their efforts

This Friday, February 24, 2023 marks one year since Russia's massive invasion of Ukraine. A birthday that we would have preferred not to celebrate. ASAH proposes to take stock of the field work done by Christian NGOs over the past year and still today.

Christian NGOs acted extremely quickly following the announcement of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Teams immediately went on site to analyze the field, collect the data necessary to adapt the aid and respond to the first needs: methods unique to each of the NGOs for an overall consideration of the needs and a complementary response and as complete as possible.

Emergency teams

Some specialize in emergency aid, such as Medair, and send teams to the field to respond to the first needs following natural disasters, wars, famines or others and organize: the reception of refugees, food aid, the setting up of shelters, the distribution basic necessities…

The Protestant Relief intervenes where humanitarian and social needs require it, by mobilizing emergency relief and setting up development actions. In 2022, the association provided a rapid response thanks to the creation of a partnership with an NGO in Romania “Fight For Freedom” and was able to send a team on site with an ambulance, then recently made an ambulance available for Several weeks.

These emergency teams always work with local teams that they set up quickly in order to gain in efficiency and relevance. This allows for long-term help.

Working in collaboration with historical partners

Other NGOs, like Sharing More ou La Gerbe, have been working with partners in Ukraine or in neighboring countries, for many years. This allowed them to organize the shipment of trucks quickly and frequently thanks to local partners who were able to receive and distribute the goods.

For more than 20 years, Partage Plus has been supporting and supporting the Hannah Foundation in Romania, which works with the most vulnerable families in the Radauti region of Romania and runs camps for young people aged 8 to 25. Partage Plus regularly sends material to distribute to these families. From February 2022, the foundation welcomed Ukrainian refugees and benefited from their support thanks to two trucks containing food, hygiene products, clothing, medicines, etc., intended for Ukraine. The priority now is to have heating and electricity in the homes.

La Gerbe has been working in Ukraine since 2009 in collaboration with local charities. Since 2014 specific work has been carried out for the reception of internally displaced persons in the country. The year 2022 was particularly intense in sending humanitarian material. A year later, this work continues with regular correspondents in Rivne, Vynnitsia and Kharkiv. So many base camps from which aid radiates to multiple regions of the country. Until now, tens of thousands of people have been affected by the aid sent, but the needs remain and increase particularly with the exhaustion of the population and the winter months.

Listening to the Child, a child sponsorship association, has been supporting the “Source of life” social assistance center located in Alexandria (Oleksandriià) in Ukraine since 2016. This place served as a temporary shelter for families on the run and the needs have intensified. This is how, in partnership with La Gerbe, Ecouter l'Enfant was able to send the necessary equipment to meet the daily needs of the center as well as the needs of passing families.

Efficient work thanks to offices around the world

adra was also able to act effectively, because the NGO has offices in Ukraine but also in neighboring countries. This therefore facilitated their action and enabled them to set up a rapid emergency response with the teams on site. France was able to raise funds to support this action and was also able to send several tens of tons of material by plane or truck. Today, ADRA is beginning to work on the reconstruction of houses damaged by the bombardments and on winterization.

ASAH coordinated the consultation between the various members or partners of the collective during the first months of this conflict. ASAH was able to absorb the aid offered by civil protection (3 million euros in equipment) thanks to the strength of its members, and was also able to be active in setting up accommodation solutions for Ukrainians arriving in France.

As everyone knows, the Ukrainians face a situation which remains dramatic, and with the winter, the needs are accentuated. Continue to help us and support us in the various actions of NGOs operating in Ukraine!

If you want to challenge yourself and take up sporting challenges to raise funds for Ukraine, you can join the race Hope 360 and support:

The project "Warmth for Ukraine" carried by the association Partage Plus.

The project "Supporting Ukrainians in reconstruction" carried by the NGO Medair.

Amelia Roumeas, coordinator of ASAH collective

Image credit: Medair