As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, Caritas organisations remain on the frontlines, helping millions of war-affected Ukrainians to cope with the crisis, rebuild their lives and work toward self-sufficiency.
The conflict has severely impacted Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, forcing millions of people to flee their homes and disrupting their lives. According to the Ukrainian government, approximately 3.6 million people are displaced internally, while the UN has identified that 12.7 million Ukrainians – one third of the population - remain in need of assistance this year.
Caritas Ukraine and Caritas-Spes Ukraine, two of the Caritas members in Ukraine, have supported more than 4 million people in need since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.
During this time 2,600 Caritas staff and volunteers have worked to deliver urgent assistance with shelter, food, water, and sanitation, along with legal, medical, and psychosocial support. They are also working on early recovery and development initiatives to help people regain employment and become self-sufficient and rebuilding stronger inter-community support.
“Our goal is to help war-affected people emerge from crisis and to become economically and socially active again, to become independent from humanitarian aid as much as possible,” said Tetiana Stawnychy, President of Caritas Ukraine.
While the need for humanitarian response grows, international humanitarian funding is decreasing, raising urgent concerns about sustained support for the war-affected people, especially groups that are already living in vulnerable conditions, such as people with disabilities, elderly people, and low-income families.
“While the war continues to devastate lives, Ukrainians are determined to rebuild, heal, and thrive,” emphasises Father Vyacheslav Grynevych, Executive Director of Caritas-Spes Ukraine. “But it is difficult for us to face this alone. We fear being left alone in the shadow of war, so we appeal to the international community to continue supporting Ukraine. Together we can work towards rebuilding and achieving peace in Ukraine.”
Caritas Australia’s Ukraine Crisis Appeal has been supporting local partners in Ukraine since the outbreak of war in 2022.
Sally Thomas, Humanitarian Manager at Caritas Australia said, “The need remains great in Ukraine, with displaced families having lived in the shadow of conflict for years, unsure of when they might return home. The work of our partners in Ukraine also underscores the importance of local church networks, with their ability to be there before, during and after a crisis. This is crucial now, while humanitarian needs prevail, and will remain vital in the event of peace when efforts turn to rebuilding.”
