Providing emergency winterization, WASH and Protection assistance to conflict-affected Ukrainians

DanChurchAid Ukraine

The Issue

Since October 2022, Russia has been attacking Ukraine’s power grid, resulting in approximately half of the energy infrastructure being severely damaged, leading to power outages across the country.

As winter approached, access to drinking and technical water and heating became even more difficult. Many shelters did not have adequate conditions to accommodate the arriving IDPs. There was an urgent need to quickly prepare the heating infrastructure and collective shelters for the winter by providing the necessary materials and carrying out repairs.

The war has also had a tremendous impact on mental health and other protection concerns of the Ukrainian population. Especially, women and elderly people need mental health and psychosocial support, showing symptoms of stress and anxiety.

The Project

The project aims to meet the urgent winterization, WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) and protection needs of local population and IDPs living in collective shelters.

This includes provision of generators, boilers, water purification units, window repairs for better insulation, and hygiene kits supply for the elderly and people with disabilities. The project will also cover repairs of Mykolaiv heating system and establish water provision by drilling boreholes in Mykolaiv and villages of Zaporizhzhia Oblasts and create livelihood opportunities through Cash for Work.

DCA, through its local partner, are also providing psychological consultations focusing on recovery for conflict affected population and are actively working with increasing the awareness in life skills programs through outreach activities.

The Change

The project includes various activities aimed at helping people survive harsh winters in Ukraine and enhance access to life-saving protection services:

• Repairing the collective shelters will ensure favorable conditions for residents, preventing freezing during winter and reducing energy consumption through improved insulation.
• Provision of generators will guarantee uninterrupted power supply in collective shelters and constant work of critical public facilities.
• Supplying hygiene kits tailored to the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities will lead to better hygiene practices and proper care.
• Replacement of eroded/damaged district heating water piping in Mykolaiv, ensuring that residents of the surrounding area will have heating in their households during winter.
• Provision of public water access points and water treatment units will ensure access to technical and drinking water for conflict affected population.
• Providing Mental health services enhancing recovery for conflict affected population.
• Outreach activities to increase awareness in life skills programs and information that can support recovery and adaptation.
• Providing GBV in emergency case management and capacity building of staff and service providers to enhance self-care.

The Results

Up until mid-term of the project, the following result have been achieved:

• 33,837 people provided with support for winterization through repairing of collective shelters and provision of generators.
• 1,724 people reached with WASH services through distribution of hygiene items and access to safe water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.
• 30 people have received Psychological support.

Partner(s)

Iskra Voly is a Ukrainian NGO founded in spring 2022 with the aim of supporting the Ukrainian population affected by the war. The organisation has been involved in humanitarian assistance in the Petrykivka, Magdalynivka and Tsarychanka communities in the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast by supporting collective shelters and private host household housing IDPs. Read more about Iskra Voly’s website.

Ukraine Education Platform (UEP) is a Ukrainian NGO that for the last 10 years has worked towards strengthening and supporting young people and the education sector in Ukraine. Like many other Ukrainian organisations, UEP transformed into a humanitarian response agency at the start of the war and built off their existing networks around the country to provide rapid assistance. UEP has now established 18 regional centres throughout Ukraine that function as humanitarian and collective hubs for partner organizations. The tailored project activities are based on inputs from the local organisations, local authorities and IDPs living in the centers. Read more on UEP’s website.

Southern Development Strategy (SDS) is a Ukrainian NGO, established in 2020, SDS is experienced in implementing infrastructural projects, and providing supplies for winterization in the frontline areas. Read more on SDS’s website.

Love and Kidness (L&K) is a Ukrainian NGO, has been working in Ukraine for 17 years. During the years of full-scale war L&K have implemented multiple humanitarian projects in Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odessa regions focusing on Evacuation, Food assistance, NFIs, Shelter repairs and Medical assistance. Read more on L&K’s website.

Our Work

DanChurchAid has been present in Ukraine since February 2022. DCA implement projects in collaboration with Ukrainian partner organisations to directly target the people most in need, utilising our partners’ local expertise in the areas of cash, and legal support for IDPs, we identify local community groups to provide with flexible small grants for survivor and community-lead response, and we support shelters for war-affected and internally displaced people to prepare for the cold Ukrainian winter.

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