HELP UKRAINE - Humanitarian relief in Chernivtsi

Ukraine has been in the dark following the November bombings, while temperatures drop below zero with the winter season. According to the newspaper Le Monde, more than 10 million Ukrainians are without power, i.e. a quarter of the population.

About half of the energy infrastructure on Ukrainian soil is now damaged (Source: Milan Institute for International Political Studies).

Ivan, the representative of the Ukrainian partner association Dobri Liudi Bukovinu, says that: “the new normal life depends on the light, whenever it’s there. Every morning you wake up to find out if there is electricity and if there is internet. And often, there isn't either."

After nine months of war, a solution sadly still remains out of reach. And that notion is draining and disheartening.

We really want to thank you for your support which enables us to keep the light of hope burning for those who are in despair in Chernivtsi. It is the most fragile population, with displaced people, the elderly, families with disabilities, as well as children and women. Supporting them matters a lot: over 500 beneficiaries a month receive food, hygiene and cleaning products, medicines, and educational materials through the local association.

It is tangible support that allows people to return to normality for a few moments. For instance, 3 class A+ washing machines and 3 dryers were purchased for refuges and for a house that houses 9 people (3 women, 2 children and 2 elderly people) in situations of extreme poverty.

The distribution of food, hygiene products and medicines continues. Besides this, with the help of 4 operators, the Ukrainian partner organizes recreational and occupational activities every week for about 100 children and their families (especially mothers and grandmothers) in the centers. They play board games, dance and organize study support. This is an important aid to mitigate high levels of emotional stress.

The activitieshave recently been suspended due to cold temperatures and, most of all, due to the lack of power. This has made it impossible to use a boiler to heat up rooms for the activities. Thanks to the support received, however, we purchased and sent a portable 3.5 Kw silenced inverter generator to the local association. Ukrainian operators will now be able to carry the generator with them to resume their activities.

We thank you for your support and solidarity in those hard times to which you brought light and warmth in spite of the distance that separates you from Ukraine.

The state of Emergency continues in Ukraine where thousands of people suffer the consequences of the conflict every day, unfortunately still ongoing.

Right from the very beginning of the war IBO Italia start collecting and sending humanitarian aids, such as food, hygiene products, medicines and health aids for a total of 33 tons of goods, from Italy to our partners in the Chernivtsi region. The goods have been redistributed to refugees and the people in needs thanks to the local association, the Dobri Liudu Bukovunu, our local partner for development project since 10 years.

Ivan our contact person in Ukraine, founder together with his wife of the Dobri Liudu Bukovunu association, is continuing updating us on the needs that arose on the spot. He told us about the shortage of specific drugs for people with certain pathologies. For this reason, we start looking for medicines. On 9th June 2022, with the contribution of private donations, GlobalGiving, the Regione Emilia-Romagna, the Italia-Ucraina (Bologna) association, the pharmaceutical company Chiesi Farmaceutica from Parma, and some pharmacies in Ferrara, a Cargo with drugs and health aids for a value of  Eur 18,219.06 was sent from Italy to Ucraine.
Some of the drugs were distributed, partly in various host centers that accommodate refugees in the Cernivtsi area, and partly directly to families in needs, under medical supervision.

Following part of the last telephone conversation with Ivan:
Amos: “Hi Ivan, how are you? What do they say over there?”
Ivan: “Oh come on, we boast, we don't really say much, we work a lot!”

A: I can imagine. I am calling you regarding the medicines that arrived with the last cargo. Did they arrive in good conditions? Have you already distributed them?
I: Yes, yes, all is right, they arrived intact. One part was distributed immediately while another part is distributed according to the needs.
Before we had volunteers available at the hosting centers and then they were entrusted with products to eat, medicines and everything that came and needed.. they took care of distributing them directly there in the centers. There was a manager who handled this. Now this person is no longer available and therefore we do everything directly from our office according to the requests."

The Dobri Liudi Bukovinu association currently supports six hosting centers for a total of over eight hundred people, of which about two hundred are children, and it also support local families who host people running away from the most affected areas into their homes. The host centers are both municipal and private structures. Two of these they are former kindergartens converted to dormitories. As well as, gyms of a local schools and a former restaurant have been adapted as host centers.  
At the beginning the people run away from the Donetsk and Lugansk areas. In the last period many people have arrived from Nikolaev, Odessa and Kherson.

The people remaining in the centers for the longest period are often elderly people with shortage of economic resources who do not have where to go or do no have any more a home to return.
The people who have the possibility and means, try to go abroad or try to return to their home.
Ivan says “There are people who went back to their place in Kiev, Bucha and also Irpin. Other people, especially from Donesk, Lugansk are moving abroad to Europe, USA, Canada".

In addition to the goods sent directly from Italy, IBO Italia directly transferred cash support to the local association so they could buy what is needed on the site. This was also the result of growing difficulties in the transports, in the logistics management, and in order to avoid that the goods could the stopped at the borders. At the moment, thanks to the location of the local association near the Romanian border, it is more convenient and easier to buy the food and other goods on the spot. Ivan is also complaining about a general increase of the prices.

The help provided is not limited to the distribution of foods, medicines and hygiene products.
In fact, the Dobri Liudi Bukovinu association has some spaces and a greenhouse which has been wisely used for seasonal crops and occupational activities also involving refugees and people in needs. The work helps the people to get distracted and to be occupied with positively effects on their mood.
I: “The greenhouses of our association have been filled up to the last centimetre with tomatoes, legumes, etc. For the sowing we were helped by some of our friends, and also, some guests of the centers came to help us as volunteers during the harvest. They were happy to do this, I think it is very important for them to keep them busy.
Besides this, Liudmila (Director of the Dzvinochok  (translated “The little bell”) Center for disabled children in Kitsman) is taking care of entertainment activities with the children and their moms through games, music and dances. The activities aim to prevent psychological disorders such as post traumatic stress syndrome, to provide help to overcome the losses imposed by war, to accept and to face the new reality, and to distract as much as it is possible.
In addition, an experienced psychologist refugee from Karchiv is giving support to the people living in the centers.
As Ivan reports: “She tries to give advice and comfort to the people who arrived in the centers and had to face a new reality and many losses. They have lost their friends and/or relatives, pets, house and their goods or more things together unfortunately.
With her support she is trying to help the people to face their losses. She goes to the host centers and starts listening. She tries to give advice and comfort".
Another support is provided by Tetiana Diachenko (president of another association in Cernivtsi and other local partner of IBO Italia) with online psychological meetings with parents of children with disabilities. Often, the parents themselves had to understand and face the difficulties of the war first, and then, face this moment together with their children. Tetiana provided the parents with useful tools and strategies to facilitate an awareness process.

For the coming period, IBO's goal remains to continue the support of the Ukrainian population through the cooperation with local partners and local stakeholders.
In particular, through the local partner, Dobri Liubi Bukovinu, we are going to help the local population with the purchase and distribution of food, hygiene products, medicines, as well as with the purchase of washing machines and dryers for the hosting centers.
Furthermore, we are going to support winterization activities with the purchase of blankets and with some rehabilitation works at the headquarters of the local association. The works will include the installation of heating and hydraulic system, installation of toilets and painting in order to create a comfortable hosting place for the elderly people and mothers with babies.
Moreover, as the vehicle of the local association is old and very often broken, we are going to help the association with the purchase of a means of transport for the distribution of goods and the transport of the beneficiaries.
Last but not least, IBO Italia together with Romanian associations, is supporting Ukrainian refugees in Romania proving food, hygiene products and medicine.

Thank you a lot for your valuable support!