January 4, 2024
News
As the war is going on, people in Ukraine continue to lose loved ones, homes, possessions, jobs, physical, and mental well-being. To keep the most valuable – life - many are forced to flee the war. Within Ukraine, western regions have become safe places for many residents of frontline areas. In 2023, Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine focused on providing decent living conditions for internally displaced persons and extended assistance to communities in the affected south regions.
1. Renovations in dormitories housing internally displaced people
In most cases, local authorities provide housing for the displaced people in dormitories at universities or other educational institutions. Unfortunately, this accommodation was often in a neglected state or not counted on such an amount of people. Last year, one of the focuses of Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine was improving living conditions for the displaced residing in dormitories in Zakarpattia region. Over the year, we carried out repairs of varying complexity in 8 dormitories housing over 800 people. Namely, we upgraded living spaces, kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. In one dormitory, we also established an inclusive block for people with disabilities. Importantly, thanks to our partners People in Need Slovakia, UNCHR and Neemiah, renovated spaces are outfitted with new furniture and equipment. Our aim is to create a comfortable environment for those who had to leave or even lost their homes.
2. Encouraging people to improve their apartments and financial situation with Cash for work
While organising renovations in dormitories, we decided to involve residents in the work. This gives them the opportunity to be impactful and receive financial support. In each of the dormitories we assisted, residents were invited to join repair brigades and perform simple tasks that did not require special skills. A total of 32 individuals participated in the activity. People responded positively to this work as it fosters unity and is fairly compensated. As many displaced people find it difficult to find a source of income in their new place of residence, we received requests to continue this activity in the future.
3. Building the fourth modular settlement in Zakarpattia
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, we have been providing accommodation for the people who found refuge in the west of the country. We built several modular residential areas to offer the diplaced people a dignified place to live. In 2023 we launched the fourth modular settlement in Zakarpattia, which is currently at the final stage of completion. Displaced families will soon be able to move into this separate cosy housing.
Like the previous locations, each house has an area of 30 square meters, consisting of a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The modular houses are furnished by our partner organization «People in Need Slovakia».
4. Humanitarian aid after the Kakhovka disaster
In the summer of 2023, when the dam of the Kakhovka Dam was blown up, entire settlements along the Dnipro were flooded. People lacked drinking water, essential items, and their homes were damaged. Caritas Czech Republic immediately delivered drinking water to the affected settlements. In the initial days after the Kakhovka disaster, together with our partner, the charitable foundation New Dawn we provided drinking water to 23,500 people at a rate of 6 liters per person. Later, we also supplied affected communities with water storage tanks, kits for the repair and replacement of water supply systems, and hygiene kits. In response to a request from one of the rural communities in the Kherson region, we purchased 2 mini-tractors for clearing roads from the consequences of flooding.
5. Helping the affected communities in southern Ukraine with winterisation needs
As the cold weather set in, residents in the frontline communities of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions faced new challenge. Primarily, it is about heating houses in winter. In collaboration with the charitable foundation New Dawn, we help households meet their basic winter needs. Specifically, we provide coal to 642 of the most vulnerable households for the entire heating season. Additionally, over 200 households managed to replace their windows with energy-efficient ones. At the same time, we distributed winter kits with warm clothing and bedding to the residents of affected communities. Despite the time limits, we succeeded, and we anticipate that these measures will contribute to keeping people warm throughout the winter.
In the future, we plan to increase our focus on humanitarian aid to residents of the southern and eastern regions of Ukraine who remain at home despite the constant risk to their lives and health.
In summary, 2023 was a very difficult year for Ukraine and its people. Yet, we have worked together to help many people cope with the consequences of the war and addres their basic needs. And we all firmly hope for an end to the war and for life to triumph over death.
