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Dear friend, As the war in Ukraine causes more devastation, we want to keep supporters like you updated with our most recent efforts. We are working to reach people most affected inside Ukraine as well as those fleeing the conflict to Romania and Poland. Situation on the ground Humanitarian needs continue to escalate over the past month of violence in Ukraine. More than 3.7 million people have fled the country, according to the United Nations, and an additional 6.5 million people have been displaced internally. Communities in intense conflict regions are facing limited access to food, health services, medicine, internet access, fuel, and other basic goods. In eastern Ukraine, more than 200,000 people are without access to water and almost 100,000 families lack electricity. Mercy Corps’ response A day in Ukraine Cassandra Nelson, Mercy Corps’ Ukraine Emergency Response Coordinator, our team, and our partner organization crossed the Siret border into Ukraine through the Romanian and Ukrainian checkpoints. As they entered Ukraine, there were hundreds of people waiting in line to cross from Ukraine to Romania, primarily women and children, carrying what they could as they walked in the freezing cold. Beyond the crowds at the border, the area was desolate, except for a petrol station with cars lined up for rationed fuel.
Families cross the border into Romania.
Mercy Corps partnered with local Ukrainian organizations to deliver supplies to a monastery sheltering more than 1,000 people.
The team spent the rest of the day unloading supplies and scouting nearby warehouses that serve as hubs for goods as they come across the border. After rushing to return to Romania before the 8 p.m. curfew, Cassandra shared her thoughts while waiting at the Siret crossing:
Mercy Corps works with local organizations that know their communities’ needs best and are already working quickly to provide assistance to displaced families inside Ukraine. A former restaurant and events company has transformed into a major food distribution organization supporting refugees in Lviv. They are delivering hot food to train stations and other centers around Lviv, as well as providing transport and food for people traveling to nearby border crossings. Another local partner has set up a community center aimed at providing children in Ukraine with space and activities to assist their recovery. The school offers art therapy, safety, and first-aid classes. They are currently working with about 30 children between the ages of 6-10. The local team shared with us that the same building had been used to support displaced families during World War II.
Refugee reception centers like this one in Romania provide families with basic necessities.
Sincerely, The Mercy Corps team |
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