The Caritas Australia Ukraine Crisis Appeal continues to assist 32 Caritas-Spes Ukraine centres, with the project focused on meeting the basic needs of vulnerable internally displaced people and other war-affected households.
Humanitarian assistance and protection is needed by 17.6 million people – 49 per cent of the Ukrainian population –, compared to 3 million people in need of aid at the start of 2022.
Between April 2023 and September 2023, the Caritas-Spes Ukraine project delivered:
- Basic needs: 964 individuals received hot meals, 6640 received vouchers for purchasing medicines, 487 received warm bedding kits and 378 received metal stoves.
- Accommodation: 525 received accommodation across seven collective centres.
- Access to learning: 682 children received early development kits and 1513 children received learning materials.
- Psychosocial wellbeing: 911 children visited child-friendly spaces.
These updates come amid reports of the banning of the Catholic Church in areas of occupied Ukraine.
Melville Fernandez, Humanitarian Emergencies Associate Director at Caritas Australia, said Ukrainians are facing their second winter of conflict.
“We’re incredibly proud to be supporting Caritas-Spes Ukraine as they provide meals, stoves, bedding, medicines, and accommodation to those in need, as well as affording learning tools and safe spaces to children,” Mr Fernandez said.
“At his most recent General Audience, Pope Francis expressed his thanks to ‘all those who support the Church in that region (the East) with their prayers and offerings’. We also wanted to offer a heartfelt thanks to our generous donors here in Australia, whose support ensures the love and kindness of our community is felt in Ukraine.”
Details: www.caritas.org.au/ukraine/
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Caritas Australia provides an update on the continued response to the war in Ukraine (Caritas Australia)
