In photos: How your support is helping families in Ukraine

People wait to be verified so that they can receive a cash transfer from the JERU programme in Ukraine. Photo: Simona Supino/Concern Worldwide

News2 February 2023Charlotte Mallory

Thanks to the enormous public response to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, and the generosity of you, our own Concern supporters, at the time of writing the appeal has raised a huge £400 million to support people affected by the conflict. This is shared across the DEC’s 15 member agencies, including Concern.

We have used appeal funds to provide emergency support since the start of the crisis. A year later, we take a look at how your generous support has supported people who have had to leave their homes but are still living in Ukraine.

Collective centres

Millions of people were forced to flee their homes in the conflict. Collective centres have been set up across the country to give families an emergency place to eat, sleep and access essential services.

A collective centre in the Lviv region . Photo: Alberto Lores/PiN/Concern Worldwide

Valentina stays in one of collective centres for displaced people in Selydove. Photo: PiN/Concern Worldwide

Mariya* is now living in what was a day care centre with her daughter. “I didn’t take much, only this luggage which is quite small, and a little bag.”

It is so difficult, I am very homesick. It is difficult to digest. It is not so difficult to leave, but with time you really want to go back. You have your normal life with plans, and then suddenly no plans at all. It is just an emergency.

Mariya*

Food

Millions of people in Ukraine have found themselves in new places with no shelter or belongings. Many families have no food or cooking facilities and so, together with our partners, we have organised the distribution of food kits as well as providing hot meals at collective centres; essential in these cold winter months.

Darina* and her young son, Petro* with their food kit. Photo: Simona Supino/Concern Worldwide

“We are grateful for your support. When we came here we only had our clothes on, and with the help of INGOs we received foot kits, hygiene items and clothing, so we are really grateful.”

Darina*

Illya* a person who has been displaced by conflict in Ukraine now volunteers at a community hub. Here, he is moving food kits as they are prepared for distribution. Photo: Simona Supino

“I am from Kharkiv. My wife and daughter came here in March and I came in April with my dog (Marshmallow). I travelled with my dog on the train and it took 24 hours. All I could bring was a backpack and the dog. I volunteer here because I want to help and be useful.”

Illya*

Washing machines and hygiene kits

Many people fled their homes with little notice, taking only what they could carry. We have worked with communities so that families can access hygiene kits, baby care kits and washing machines to clean their clothes.

Washing machines and tumble dryers that were provided to a community hub by the JERU programme. Photo: Simona Supino/Concern Worldwide

A cinema in Khemelnytskyi is now community hub – JERU has provided support including hygiene kits. Photo: Simona Supino/Concern Worldwide

A baby care kit at a warehouse in Ukraine, ready for distribution. Photo: Kieran McConville/Concern Worldwide

Psychosocial support (PSS)

Conflict and displacement causes a huge amount of trauma. Together with our partners we are providing psychosocial group sessions. We offer structured group activities for adults, as well as awareness-raising sessions and experience-sharing groups.

People who have been displaced by the conflict in Ukraine attend a PSS session and they select random images and discuss why they have selected that image and the feelings it evokes for them. Photo: Simona Supino/Concern Worldwide

Kateryna* an IDP, takes part on a psychosocial support session. Kateryna* has been here for 9 months. She left her hometown in March. Photo: Simona Supino

Kateryna* an IDP, has taken part in four psychosocial support sessions so far and told us that: “It helps that you can cry and speak. It [the situation] is really stressful because when you sleep you dream about the conflict. It gives you flashbacks. You hear the news and see pictures. Some people couldn’t leave their hometown and when you hear what is happening there it is scary.”

Cash distribution

15,000 individuals (around 4,286 households) will be supported by cash transfers with DEC appeal funding. This support will help to cover people’s basic needs including food, medicine and shelter, as well as warmer clothes as the temperature plummets to as low as -20°C in some areas in the winter.

You are helping displaced families like Sofiy’s*

Sofiy* and her children wait inside the entrance of a library as the await verification that they can receive a cash transfer. She told us “We don’t really have a network here. We are on our own. We are quite used to the blackouts now and our most urgent needs are food, clothing and firewood to heat the house.”