In the many months since Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands have died and nearly 18 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection across Ukraine.

At the start of the attack, Alliance members ChildFund Deutschland and WeWorld quickly joined forces to mitigate the disruption of Russia’s attack on civilians.

Together they developed a ChildFund response plan, and Alliance members quickly issued a unified statement of solidarity with Ukraine. The aim was to respond collectively as an Alliance to reduce the suffering of children, families and other citizens in Ukraine and within neighboring countries.

Thanks to a strong and collective effort deployed by all ChildFund members, the Alliance raised 95% of the 5.8 million USD sought in the ChildFund Alliance Regional Response Plan of March 2022 to serve 77,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance and protection in Ukraine and Moldova. With the crisis still ongoing, and winter approaching, implementing members ChildFund Deutschland and WeWorld have assessed needs to increase the number of people served to 85,000—most of whom are women and children.

ChildFund Deutschland and WeWorld operate directly in the field as well as through local organizations. Among its many efforts, Deutschland is conducting projects that are providing cancer treatments for children. All other ChildFund Alliance members contribute fundraising and/or technical support, with ChildFund International and Educo providing technical support in child protection and education in the emergency sector.

In a Regional Response Update issued in October 2022, ChildFund members outlined plans for ongoing efforts to support victims through a holistic approach of provisions, food and medicine, education, psychosocial support, cash assistance, and evacuation assistance—among other necessities. You can read more about ChildFund’s response, and ChildFund Deutschland and WeWorld’s activities on the ground in our ChildFund Alliance Ukraine Regional Response Update. (This would link to the new plan I shared with you today.)  I am also thinking you could include the following sidebar from the report:

Recovery Camps in Donezk, Luhansk or Charkiv

Millions of children had to leave their homes in the eastern part of Ukraine and now live as displaced persons in the west. Some have the possibility to stay with relatives but many live in small rooms in shelters.

Much of the time there is no space for games or activities for the children. During the summer and fall season, about 2,000 children between the ages of 10 and 14 had the opportunity to spend 5 to 14 days in recreational camps in the regions of Lviv, Transcarpathia, Ivano- Frankivsk and Vinnytsia.

Many of them lost parents or siblings during the war, some are in need of health care, and almost all are traumatized.

ChildFund provides the children with a moment of normality by providing them with a place where they can engage in sports and play, explore, and be children again. All activities are under medical and psychological guidance.