(24.02.2022) NB! As the situation changes, so does the nature of the aid. We use donations according to what is needed most at the moment!

Estonian Refugee Council, Mondo and the Ukrainian Cultural Center are inviting people to take part of the campaign to support the people who continue to live in poor conditions in settlements close to the front-line in eastern Ukraine. The money raised in campaign "For Ukraine!" will provide needs-based assistance on the ground to alleviate poverty and help the schools.

"For the first time, we organized a fundraising campaign in the autumn of 2014, when the conflict in Eastern Ukraine was still very fresh. Now, seven and a half years later, when the armed conflict shows signs of escalation again, the need for assistance on the ground has not disappeared. The work of Estonian Refugee Council in Ukraine has never ended during all these years, and we have provided various support to people living in settlements close to the front-line, for example by providing help to survive the winters, helping elderly people and supporting children from low-income families to start school,” said Eero Janson, head of Estonian Refugee Council.

The United Nations estimates that 2.9 million people in eastern Ukraine need humanitarian aid as a result of the ongoing armed conflict and the Covid-19 pandemic. The area is mostly inhabited by people who have nowhere to go; unemployment has created widespread poverty. There is also a need for psychosocial support.

"Ukraine's crisis area is in a constant state of disrepair. In addition to the ongoing conflict, the population there has also been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. So we are talking about people who have to deal with several crises at once, with almost no resources. Mondo's long-term work in the crisis area has shown us that psychosocial support is as important as providing material support,” said Veronika Svištš, Head of Ukraine program of Mondo.

In addition to the public campaign, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided today to allocate a total of 60,000 euros to Mondo and Estonian Refugee Council to provide needs-based humanitarian assistance on the ground, in cooperation with local Ukrainian organizations and social workers.

"For Ukraine!" is an initiative of three Estonian NGOs to help the population close to the front-line and other vulnerable groups. On the website of the campaign you will find the activities, photo material and donation accounts of MTÜ Eesti Pagulasabi, MTÜ Mondo and MTÜ Ukraina Kultuurikeskus. More information about the activities can also be found on the campaign's Facebook page.