Friend — Maryna was preparing for the birth of her second child when war broke out in Chernihiv, Ukraine.
Maryna delivered her baby in a specially equipped hospital hallway but was forced to spend the next few weeks in a cold basement that had been converted into a bomb shelter.
When Chernihiv became too dangerous to remain with a newborn, Maryna and her family fled the city. If they had departed even one day later, an attack that destroyed the footbridge they used to flee the city would have left them stranded.
“Our baby girl is the first girl in our big family, and we are grateful to be alive and healthy. It's a blessing to know organizations and individuals offer support during these difficult times,”Maryna said.
Since the war broke out, UNFPA has supported maternity hospitals in Ukraine to meet the needs of pregnant women like Maryna, expand access to free and quality reproductive health services, and provide hospitals with essential supplies.
But one year later, UNFPA’s active efforts are only 70% funded — meaning the lives of women and girls hang in the balance.
Pregnancies and births don’t stop during times of war and crisis. With your help, we can ensure that even in the darkest times every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and mothers and their newborns are cared for.
Already, UNFPA operates 1 mobile maternity unit, 23 mobile health units, and 37 service delivery points in Ukraine to ensure safe births for women like Maryna. But as the war continues, we have to keep scaling up our efforts. Will you rush a gift right now?
Thank you for supporting these lifesaving services in Ukraine and around the world.
Sincerely,
Anu Surendran
Chief Executive Officer
USA for UNFPA
Your gift will deliver lifesaving sexual and reproductive health care to women and girls in more than 150 countries around the world. Thank you for being there for every woman and girl.
