Our projects in Ukraine
Since late February 2022, almost 5.4 million refugees have left Ukraine. A further 7.7 million people have also been displaced within the country. Thousands of people are trapped in their hometowns, with no food, water or way to leave.
We’ve been supporting many different projects both in Ukraine, and in surrounding countries. We’re keeping our ears close to the ground, and listening out for where the greatest need is, spending all donations wisely.
An elderly woman on a stretcher, evacuated from her home in Lyman by our team members Mark, Levon and Vlad, is boarding a train at Pokrovsk station, headed for the Hungarian border - May 2022.
Emergency evacuations
We currently have an ever-growing team of volunteers who are working close to the front line in Ukraine evacuating civilians and get them to safety.
Our drivers are working closely with local despatch teams, who are directing them to the homes of people with reduced mobility every day. Once evacuated, they’re taken to hospitals, or the closest feasible town with a working train or bus station to take them further to the West of Ukraine, or further into Europe. Some people have also been taken the local hospitals for treatment.
Our teams never have an empty van - they’re also delivering aid and emergency supplies into the conflict zones.
Aid deliveries
Aid deliveries have made up a big part of our work in and around Ukraine since the beginning of the crisis. Emergency items purchased by donors in our online aid shop are bought and distributed locally, to those most in need.
We have delivered aid at border reception centres, to families living in the urban setting (resettled in towns and villages in Hungary) and to those trapped within Ukraine itself.
We’re in regular contact with our teams on the ground to ensure we’re buying the most urgent items and are constantly updating our online shop to reflect the current needs.
Hannah and Valentina delivering baby items and food to the border in Hungary - March 2022.
Our volunteers Donald and Nigel transporting a Ukrainian family from the border, to the train station in Budapest - April 2022.
Border transport
At the start of the crisis in February, we sent teams of volunteer drivers to the Ukrainian border to help to transport those who were fleeing to safer destinations.
Babies, children, pregnant women, disabled people, students, the elderly and even dogs are among some of those we’ve transported to their onward destinations.
Passengers were dropped at hotels, train stations and the airport in Budapest. Some have settled locally, others have caught transport on to Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and the U.K. (to name a few!).
Resources for Ukrainians in the UK
We’ve teamed up with Vodafone to help those arriving in the U.K. to stay connected.
They’re offering free SIM cards which come with 20GB data each month plus unlimited calls and texts for a period of six months. Any Ukrainian citizen arriving in the UK via the government’s resettlement scheme is eligible.
We’ve also put together a handy list of resources for Ukrainians arriving in the U.K. including how to register for key services and a directory of local Facebook communities.
How to help Ukrainian refugees
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Purchase aid
Sending aid from the UK is expensive and untimely, plus, there’s a shortage storage options at the border. Instead, you can buy desperately needed aid items for Ukrainian refugees directly from our site. The items will be purchased and distributed immediately on the ground.
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Make a donation
Consider making a donation towards our emergency fund for Ukraine. The money raised will be used to support our efforts evacuating vulnerable people from high-conflict areas in Eastern Ukraine. We’re also working to support Ukrainian families in Hungary, and are purchasing additional aid as and when it’s needed.
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Help spread the word
Follow our social channels and help us to spread the word about the current crisis. We offer regular ‘explainer’ posts, updates, and myth debunkers and would love it if you could take the time to share them with friends and family.