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© Stefanie Glinski/Welthungerhilfe

Millions Fleeing From War In Ukraine

War Knows Only Losers

Flight and suffering due to the war in Ukraine

Russia has invaded Ukraine – there is a war in Europe. Since February 2022, the country has been rocked by armed conflicts. More than a year later, over 8,000 civilians have been killed. More than eight million people, mostly women and children, have fled to other European countries, and about 7.1 million more are displaced within Ukraine. The EU Commission and the UN expect that many more Ukrainians will be forced to leave their home country.

© Stefanie Glinski / Welthungerhilfe

War is a humanitarian disaster

The offensive on Ukraine directly threatens the lives of millions of people. They are facing a humanitarian disaster with hunger and immense suffering. Many are fleeing to safer areas or to neighboring countries. The refugees are often only able to take the bare necessities with them. After arriving in neighboring countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Romania or Moldova, many of them are now left with nothing. Even basic things like food or hygiene products are lacking. Many mothers do not know where they will spend the next nights with their children.

A single mum displaced in her own country

Around seven million people in Ukraine have been displaced in their own country. Like Daryna* and her children. The single mother comes from Kherson in southern Ukraine. Her youngest son was seriously injured in an explosion. They were able to flee and are currently finding shelter in western Ukraine. Together with its partner organization Concern Worldwide, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) is supporting internally displaced people by providing food, hygiene items, blankets and pillows.

*(name has been changed)

© Concern Worldwide

How we support the people in the affected region

We can provide rapid assistance through a broad network of European aid organizations. At the moment, the focus is on providing first aid to people who have had to flee the war. We are also already assessing what what support will be needed in the crisis region in the medium and long term.

As part of Alliance2015, we have been working closely with the aid organizations People in Need (PIN) and the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) for many years. Together with our partners, we are active in the crisis region: We work with PIN in Ukraine to support people with, among other things, warm meals and cash assistance. Through ACTED, we support refugees arriving in the Republic of Moldova, for example with hygiene kits and food.

Through our partners, we ensure that your donation arrives most quickly where it is urgently needed.

Food for refugees

In western Ukraine, Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and its partners Concern Worldwide and Cevsi distributed food packages to refugees. The packages contain pasta, rice, oil, sugar and canned beans, fish and tomatoes.

Our support in the crisis region
  • WHH is supporting the delivery of vital relief packages to the crisis region, which are then distributed to those most in need. The packages include bedding, pillows, warm blankets, cutlery, crockery, kitchen knives, and cooking pots.
  • Together with its partner organizations Cesvi and Concern Worldwide, WHH is distributing food packages and diapers in western Ukraine. 
  • Special baby hygiene kits are also being distributed to families and institutions, as well as hygiene kits that include bars of soap, washing powder, dishwashing gel, garbage bags, toilet paper, buckets, and sanitizer. 
  • WHH is helping to provide people with drinking water in the eastern parts of the country, where the water supply network has been partially destroyed.
  • Where food is still available for purchase, but many people can no longer afford it, WHH is assisting with cash distributions for IDPs and host families. In eastern Ukraine, which has been particularly hard hit by the war, around 5,000 households have so far been provided with cash as part of the winter aid program.
  • A nationwide telephone hotline is providing professional psychological support for people in emotional distress

Conditions in collective shelters for IDPs in western and central Ukraine are being improved by:

  • Establishing information desks to inform IDPs about their rights and the services available to them.
  • Distributing hot meals, both in communial shelters and where large numbers of refugees arrive, such as at train stations.
  • Basic psychosocial support for those most at risk. Parents are trained in psychological first aid so they can support their children.
  • Procurement of kitchen equipment such as cooking utensils, ovens and washing machines, as well as bedding. In some cases, sanitary facilities also need to be repaired and sleeping areas separated to ensure minimum privacy.

© Alyona Budagovska/People in Need

Please support the people affected by the war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine!

How is WHH helping in Ukraine?

Through our Alliance2015 partner People In Need, we support refugees in Ukraine with cash, hot meals and hygiene items. Together with our partner ACTED, we are active in the Republic of Moldova and support arriving refugees with hygiene articles and food. Refugees also receive assistance through information and transportation to reception centers. In addition to emergency aid measures, we also identify what support is needed in the crisis region in the medium and long term.

Where do donations go?

Your donation goes directly to the emergency relief efforts of Welthungerhilfe and its partner organizations in Ukraine. We support people in need in Ukraine as well as Ukrainians who have fled to neighboring countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Romania and the Republic of Moldova.

Can I donate goods through WHH to people in Ukraine or to refugees?

WHH cannot accept donations of goods. We collect monetary donations, which we use together with our Alliance2015 partners to support the people in need in Ukraine as well as refugees. However, we very much appreciate your offers and kindly ask you to donate your goods to local organizations that specialize in this field.

Does WHH pass on 100% of the donations to its partners?

Your donation will be used without deduction of administrative fees by WHH within the scope of the cooperation with People In Need (PIN) and ACTED for people affected by the war in Ukraine or for people who have fled from the war to neighboring countries of Ukraine. We support our partners with personnel, know-how and concrete relief measures.