January 10, 2024
News
Residents of the southern regions of Ukraine went through harrowing times during armed conflicts and Russian occupation. While a significant part of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions has been liberated, the front line remains close. Despite ongoing dangers, people are trying to rebuild their homes after destruction and looting. We assisted them in preparing their homes for the cold and addressing other winter needs.
Humanitarian aid in Kherson and Mykolaiv has to be unloaded in minutes
The Charitable Foundation New Dawn, our partner in assisting people in the South, is located in Odessa. From there, volunteer teams depart several times a week with humanitarian shipments to the frontline communities in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. These journeys can be risky. In some cases, as the foundation's director, Yulia, explains, the unloading of humanitarian aid is timed down to the minutes to avoid drawing attention and becoming a target for shelling by the Russian army.
Before the onset of the winter cold, our goal was to provide vulnerable local residents with essential resources: solid fuel for heating homes, windows for retaining warmth, winter clothing and footwear, as well as warm bedding. We put all our efforts to ensure timely assistance for these people.
Distributing warm clothing and bedding
Many people in the affected communities lost their belongings due to fires or looting. Lots of them also suffered from flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka reservoir dam. Together with the Charitable Foundation New Dawn, we provided bedding sets to 3,700 individuals, consisting of thermal blankets, mattresses, and pillows. Additionally, 4,000 people received winter clothing and footwear from us.
Antonina, a resident of a village in Mykolaiv Oblast, received a set of warm bedding. "Now, at least, there will be something to sleep on," she says. There a was a fighting until November 2022; we had to live in the basement for a long time. A shell fell in front of the entrance of my house – my neighbor's apartment burned down completely, my walls collapsed, windows, doors – everything was destroyed. Now we are gradually rebuilding, but there is still a lot of work," Antonina describes.
Supplying coal for the heating season
In rural areas, solid fuel is often used for heating. Communities on the frontline struggle to get coal or firewood delivered as there are only a few sellers willing to go there. Moreover, people there lack the funds to purchase fuel. In such challenging circumstances, we are working with our partners to deliver coal to ensure that people's homes are warm during winter. This winter, we are providing coal to 642 households in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, with each household receiving 2 tons of coal.
"I am very grateful for the coal. Now I am sure that it will be warm in winter. This amount will definitely be enough for the entire winter. I was going to borrow money to buy coal for the winter, so your help came in very handy," says Lyudmila, a resident of a village in Kherson region.
Installing new energy-efficient windows
Even if there are resourses to heat the home, without insulation, it is hard to stay warm in winter, especially when it comes to the need for windows. This is a common challenge in communities affected by military actions. As part of our winterisation project, 219 households received new energy-efficient windows. Many people here often cannot afford windows, making this assistance crucial for them.
Valentina shares that thanks to the new windows, she will be able to return to her home sooner than expected, as she is currently forced to live at acquaintances’ place. "It was impossible to live in our house – everything inside was falling apart. Our pension is small – we cannot afford major repairs ourselves."
People in the affected communities still have various needs, but they also have a tremendous desire to live on their native land and do everything possible for its restoration. Therefore any assistance provided is truly impactful for them.
Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022, Ukraine has been facing severe attacks and casualties. Millions of people have been forced to flee their homes in the areas of fighing and relocate to other regions of Ukraine or abroad. In the east of the country, some cities have been completely destroyed due to massive shelling.
Caritas Czech Republic in Ukraine is assisting people affected by the war. We provide shelter to internally displaced persons in modular houses in Western Ukraine, improve living conditions in collective sites, and address the urgent needs of residents in frontline and de-occupied communities in Southern Ukraine.
