We’re helping provide shelter for families fleeing from Mariupol

[ [link removed] ]Mercy Corps

Dear friend,

Thank you for joining our global community. Mercy Corps’
urgent humanitarian response helps families in Ukraine and in the 40+
communities where we work around the world.

The families that we are serving with the support of our generous donors
and partners have shown strength, resilience, and grace in the midst of
tragedy.

It has been over two months since we mobilized a humanitarian response to
the war in Ukraine. Since then, the crisis has become increasingly
devastating and desperate as 5 million families have been forced to flee
from the violence — and millions more have remained inside cities under
siege.

Our team members continue to support local partners in Ukraine, Poland,
and Romania that are providing food, water, shelter, medication, and other
supplies and services to families doing what they can to survive. The
needs continue to grow and change as the conflict carries on, loved ones
are separated, and homes are left in ruins.


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A 10-day journey to safety

A family from Mariupol staying in a Mercy Corps-supported shelter in Lviv
shared their harrowing journey to escape the city. Alla Mavrischeva and
her two boys, ages 14 and 9, withstood more than a month under siege in
their home with no electricity, water, or gas. They had no means of
communication and the city was being destroyed around them.


[ Alla ]Alla and her sons
Alla’s family is staying at a Mercy Corps-supported shelter in Lviv. She
says that all she wants is the war to end, a place to live, and for her
children to get a good education.


With little time to prepare before air strikes bombarded the city, they
were forced to scavenge for food – eating as little as they could each
day. They drained radiators or collected and melted snow for drinking
water.

Day in and day out, they waited as their city was besieged, afraid they
would lose their lives if they fled. Alla wrote down everything that
happened each day in a special notebook so as not to forget anything. She
said she did it in order to appreciate life more when their lives returned
to normal.

Finally, Alla saw their opportunity to slip away, noticing a group of
other Ukrainians on the run. They joined them on a 10-day journey by foot
going first to Zaporizhia, then Dnipro, and finally finding safety at our
shelter in Lviv.

Formerly a cultural center, the building now provides refuge to 40
displaced Ukrainian women with children. Many of those working at the
shelter are refugees themselves. Alla said she and the boys have been so
grateful for the support. They were able to rest, change clothes, drink
water, and eat as much as they wanted.


 
"When we were in Mariupol, we had no news, no connection, and we
thought that everyone had abandoned us. We thought we would not
survive. And I didn’t think and didn’t expect that people could help
  like this. I'm not used to asking for help, I'm used to doing  
everything myself. Now I am impressed and delighted that people can
help so much."
 
ALLA MAVRISCHEVA, UKRAINE
 


Alla’s story is just one of the many stories of families who have faced
violence and disaster during the war in Ukraine. Our teams are doing
everything they can in Ukraine, Romania, and Poland to serve as many
people as possible who are being forced to flee their homes. We are
partnering with local organizations that know their communities best and
can provide effective support to meet the needs of displaced families.

The scale of this crisis will require a long-term commitment to help
families recover and rebuild their lives. We are continuing to establish
the greater presence needed in Ukraine and the surrounding region so we
can fulfill this long-term commitment. Even as we help local partner
organizations in the urgent response, we are building the teams and
resources we will need to support the people of Ukraine for the future.

A gift to Mercy Corps helps us to provide
the urgent humanitarian aid needed today — and the long-term support
needed in the weeks and months ahead — for families in crisis all over the
world. As we stay the course to help people heal and reestablish their
lives, one of the best ways you can continue to help is by starting a
monthly donation to Mercy Corps. We call our monthly givers our Partners
In Possibility because your gift helps families build toward brighter
futures with new possibilities.

[ [link removed] ]Will you join us as a Partner In Possibility today?


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Generous donors like you help to make our work possible.
Thank you for your ongoing support.

Sincerely,

The Mercy Corps team

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