Disaster Response Ukraine Project #59301

UKRAINE MENTAL HEALTH RELIEF FUND

by Coopera - cooperacion al desarrollo

Project Report | Mar 15, 2026
Mi z Ukrayiny! / Psychosocial Support in Ukraine

By Olga Khomyakova | tecnico de proyectos

Project Report – Mi z Ukrayiny! / Psychosocial Support in Ukraine

March 2026

Three years of war. Millions of invisible wounds.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Ukraine has been living through one of the largest humanitarian crises in Europe since World War II. But behind the visible destruction — bombed cities, displaced families, destroyed hospitals — lies another crisis that is harder to see: the collapse of mental health across an entire nation. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 4 Ukrainians is at risk of developing a mental illness as a direct result of the war, and that between 1 and 2 million people will need specialized mental health services. Today, only a fraction of them can access any help at all.

This is where your donations are making a difference. Through the Mi z Ukrayiny! project, COOPERA is working to close that gap — not by replacing Ukrainian professionals, but by strengthening them. Our approach focuses on training local psychologists in evidence-based trauma and psychosocial support methods, equipping them to reach communities that remain underserved. Ukrainian mental health professionals are among the most committed people we have ever worked with. They are treating patients while managing their own grief, their own fear, their own losses. Investing in them means investing in Ukraine's long-term resilience.

The scale of need is staggering — and well-documented. Research published in The Lancet found that more than 50% of non-displaced Ukrainians already met clinical criteria for PTSD after the first year of the invasion, rising to over 62% among refugees abroad. Studies on Ukrainian soldiers show that nearly 46% have been diagnosed with PTSD and 34% with major depression. Meanwhile, documented attacks on healthcare infrastructure increased by nearly 50% between 2024 and 2025, further reducing an already overwhelmed system. Only 10% of internally displaced people with mental health conditions have received any professional support.

Marta is 41 years old and lives in Kharkiv. In the spring of 2024, a missile strike hit her neighbourhood while she was at home with her daughter. The building across the street collapsed. She pulled her daughter under the table, covered her with her own body, and waited. They survived — but Marta stopped sleeping. For months, every loud sound sent her back to that moment. She couldn't take her daughter to school. She couldn't be alone. "I knew I wasn't crazy," she told one of our psychologists. "I just didn't know how to live anymore." After eight sessions of trauma-focused support with one of the psychologists trained through Mi z Ukrayiny!, Marta describes herself as "slowly returning." She still flinches at loud noises. But she takes her daughter to school now. That is what recovery looks like in wartime Ukraine.

Thanks to you, we are part of the response. To date, Mi z Ukrayiny! has trained 25 Ukrainian psychologists in evidence-based trauma care and reached more than 68,900 people with psychosocial support. Your donations are helping us reach a population that has shown extraordinary resilience in the face of relentless trauma — and that deserves equally extraordinary care.

— Thank you.

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Nov 11, 2025
Healing Invisible Wounds: Ukraine Mental Health Re

By Arturo Soler | director de programas

Oksana's Journey from Darkness to Light

Oksana sat in silence for the first three sessions at our Wound Healing Centre. The 42-year-old teacher from Mariupol had fled her destroyed city with only her teenage daughter. Her husband had stayed behind to defend their hometown and never returned.

She describes those first months: "I couldn't sleep. Every loud noise sent my heart racing. I felt like I was drowning in guilt - guilt for leaving, guilt for surviving, guilt for not being able to help my daughter who was also struggling."

Today, six months later, Oksana is transformed. Through individual counseling and group therapy sessions at the MUTIMA Psychological Rehabilitation Center, she has learned to manage her PTSD symptoms. She has found community with other displaced women, and most importantly, she has started teaching again - this time at a local school in Lviv, giving purpose back to her life.

"The psychologists here saved my life," she shares with tears in her eyes. "They helped me understand that healing is not about forgetting - it's about learning to live again despite everything we have lost."

Oksana is one of more than 420 people we have helped through this project.

Your Impact: Healing One Heart at a Time

Thanks to your generous support through the Ukraine Mental Health Relief Fund, we have achieved significant results since October 2023:

613 individual counseling sessions provided to trauma survivors
80 group therapy sessions offering peer support and collective healing
About 320 people participated in group therapy sessions
About 100 people received individualized psychological support
17 professional psychologists, psychotherapists, and art therapists trained and deployed
Confidential spaces established in parish communities for safe, dignified care

The Mental Health Crisis in Ukraine

Three years into the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine faces an unprecedented mental health crisis. The numbers tell a devastating story:

68% of Ukrainians report decline in overall health since the invasion
46% specifically cite mental health concerns as their primary health issue
9.6 million Ukrainians are estimated to need professional mental health support
80% of citizens live under chronic stress and anxiety
3.7 million people remain internally displaced within Ukraine
6.3 million refugees are scattered across Europe

Mental health has become the most prevalent health impact of the war, surpassing even physical injuries and chronic diseases. PTSD rates are alarmingly high: over 50% of internally displaced persons meet diagnostic criteria for PTSD, while 62% of refugees abroad show symptoms of the disorder.

The Most Vulnerable

Children and adolescents: Nearly 1.7 million school-aged children remain displaced. Studies show that 30% experience severe psychological distress. Many have witnessed bombings, lost caregivers, or had their education interrupted. The average PTSD prevalence among war-affected youth is 29%, with ongoing conflict areas showing rates of 32%.

Veterans: By mid-2024, an estimated 100,000 amputations had been performed due to the war. Veterans face not only physical trauma but profound psychological wounds. Many struggle with reintegration into civilian life, experiencing PTSD, depression, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation.

Displaced families: One-third of internally displaced persons show symptoms of PTSD, 22% have depression, and 18% have anxiety. Refugees abroad face even higher rates. The inability to plan for the future, combined with loss of homes and livelihoods, creates persistent psychological distress.

Women and survivors of violence: Women constitute 79% of refugees and face heightened vulnerability to gender-based violence, trafficking, and exploitation during displacement.

Our Response: The Psychological Rehabilitation Project

Launched in October 2023 by the Patriarchal Foundation Mudra Sprava in partnership with the Madrid City Council, our project provides holistic psychological support through Wound Healing Centres located in parish communities across Ukraine.

Our comprehensive approach includes:

Individual psychological counseling: One-on-one sessions in confidential, safe spaces where trauma survivors receive personalized support
Group therapy: Facilitated sessions where people with shared experiences find community, reduce isolation, and heal together
Art therapy and music therapy: Creative modalities that help people express trauma when words fail
Psychoeducation: Teaching self-care techniques and trauma awareness to empower people in their own recovery
Family support: Specialized services for military families, helping them navigate the unique challenges of deployment, injury, and loss

Andriy's Story: A Veteran Finds Peace

Andriy, a 35-year-old former soldier, lost his leg to a landmine near Bakhmut. When he arrived at our center, he was drowning in alcohol and couldn't look his young son in the eye. The nightmares were constant. He felt like a burden to his wife.

Through our specialized veteran support program, Andriy worked with a psychologist who was also a war veteran. This peer understanding made all the difference. Slowly, session by session, Andriy learned to manage his PTSD symptoms, reconnect with his family, and find new purpose.

He recently started a small business repairing computers. His psychologist shares: "Andriy's transformation shows what is possible when veterans receive proper mental health support. He is not just surviving now - he is building a new life."

Challenges We Face

Despite our progress, the needs far exceed our capacity. The Ukrainian mental health system, already strained before 2022, has been pushed to its breaking point:

Severe workforce shortages: Over 21% of mental health workers have been displaced, and staff numbers continue to decline
Overwhelming demand: Psychiatric hospitalizations have increased to 552 per month in 2024, up from 433 before the war
Stigma: Over 80% of Ukrainians have never consulted a mental health professional, despite clear need
Access barriers: Cost, availability, and long waitlists prevent many from getting help
Damaged infrastructure: Over 2,100 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed

Only 10% of internally displaced people with mental disorders have received professional help. The gap between need and available services is staggering.

How Your Continued Support Helps

Every donation to the Ukraine Mental Health Relief Fund directly supports:

Salaries for psychologists and therapists working in conflict-affected areas
Equipment and supplies for counseling spaces and therapy sessions
Training programs to expand the pool of qualified mental health professionals
Community outreach to reduce stigma and connect people with services
Specialized programs for veterans, children, and displaced families

Young Sofia's Smile Returns

Eight-year-old Sofia stopped speaking after her school was bombed. Her mother, Iryna, tried everything. Teachers were worried. Doctors found nothing physically wrong.

At our center, Sofia met Halyna, an art therapist. Through drawing and painting, Sofia slowly began to express what she could not say with words. Week by week, color returned to her pictures. And then, after two months, words began to return too.

Iryna says with joy: "I heard my daughter laugh again. That sound is worth everything. Thank you for giving us our Sofia back."

Why Mental Health Matters for Ukraine's Future

Mental health is not a luxury - it is the foundation for rebuilding Ukraine.

Without addressing the psychological wounds of war, Ukraine cannot recover. Untreated trauma perpetuates cycles of violence, prevents economic productivity, disrupts families, and undermines social cohesion. Children who do not receive help today will carry these wounds into adulthood, affecting generations to come.

But healing is possible. We see it every day in our centers. Like Oksana, who teaches again. Like Andriy, who built a business. Like Sofia, who found her voice. Your support makes these transformations possible.

The people of Ukraine have shown extraordinary resilience. They have endured unimaginable suffering - missile strikes, displacement, loss of loved ones, destruction of homes. They have not given up. They deserve the support they need to heal.

Mental health is hope. Mental health is dignity. Mental health is the path to peace.

Thank you for standing with Ukraine. Thank you for healing invisible wounds. Thank you for being part of the hope that keeps Ukraine going.

Attachments:

Ukraine_Mental_Health_GlobalGiving_Report.pdf (PDF)

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Jul 14, 2025
869 DAYS OF WAR, 869 DAYS OF INNER RESISTANCE

By David Chimeno Cano | tecnico de proyectos

La revolución silenciosa de la salud mental en Ucrania

Cuando la guerra destruye desde fuera... y desde dentro

Desde que el primer misil cruzó el cielo de Ucrania en febrero de 2022, millones
de vidas han quedado en suspenso. Hogares destruidos, familias
separadas y un país herido. Pero hay heridas invisibles
, heridas que no sangran, sino que laten en silencio: ansiedad, pérdida, insomnio,
miedo crónico, trauma.

Ante este desgarrador panorama, la salud mental se ha convertido en el nuevo
campo de batalla. Y allí, en medio del caos, Coopera ONGD ha estado presente.
Tres años de trabajo ininterrumpido, durante los cuales hemos asistido a más
de 50.910 personas, 10.320 de ellas solo en los últimos seis meses. Porque
aunque los tanques retumben, la esperanza también sabe cómo gritar.
El programa psicosocial de Coopera: Reconstruyendo desde dentro.

Contexto y orígenes:
Coopera trabaja en Ucrania desde 2002, pero el estallido de la guerra marcó un
antes y un después. Gracias al apoyo del Ayuntamiento de Madrid y a la
experiencia adquirida en crisis como la del Congo,
se puso en marcha en Kiev un ambicioso plan de salud mental.
Nuestro trabajo se estructura en torno a cuatro pilares:

1. Formación para psicólogos en trauma de guerra, con
técnicas de vanguardia.
2. Psicoterapia en línea gratuita con especialistas ucranianos.
3. Apoyo psiquiátrico y suministro de psicofármacos cuando sea necesario.
4. Informe posterior al incidente para brindar atención inmediata a las víctimas de
bombardeos, violencia o pérdidas.

Plataformas y centros: Cuando la ayuda encuentra su lugar

Mudra Sprava – Una red que cura

Con más de 15.927 usuarios en todo el mundo, esta plataforma ha sido clave para
romper el aislamiento de las víctimas. El 80 % de quienes solicitaron
ayuda presentaban niveles de estrés de entre 7 y 10 sobre 10. Aun así, el 87 % reportó una
mejoría tras una sola sesión.

Sobreviví a un ataque con cohetes. Perdí mi negocio. Ahora tengo miedo de que algo le
pase a mi familia. No puedo adaptarme. No puedo dormir…
— Paciente, 31 años.
Estos testimonios desgarradores son la base del proyecto.

Centros comunitarios en Zaporizhzhia y Kryvyi Rih – Hogares
para el alma

Se abrieron dos centros comunitarios físicos en las regiones más afectadas.
No son solo edificios: son refugios donde el alma encuentra consuelo.
Ofrecen:
• Terapia individual y grupal (arte, música, danza)
• Espacios para niños
• Conferencias para desestigmatizar la salud mental
• Capacitación para terapeutas
• Actividades para más de 6000 personas al año

El impacto: De Kyiv al mundo

Datos impactantes, datos esclarecedores

• 50.910 personas atendidas en tres años
• 10.320 personas en los últimos seis meses
• 1.628 pacientes únicos en la plataforma Mental Help
• 3.669 sesiones psicológicas individuales
• 31 publicaciones en medios y 180.000 visualizaciones en redes sociales

Perfil del paciente:

• 85% mujeres
• Edad promedio: 26–45 años
• Principales razones: ansiedad, estrés, relaciones emocionales, depresión
y adaptación

Una nueva guerra, una nueva forma de lucharla

Lo que antes se consideraba invisible ahora es esencial. La salud mental no puede
esperar. La guerra no solo destruye ciudades, sino que también deja cicatrices internas.
Pero con cada sesión, con cada psicólogo formado, con cada niño que
vuelve a sonreír, Ucrania demuestra que la victoria también se construye desde dentro.
Y Coopera ONGD seguirá ahí. Porque reconstruir un
país no se trata solo de levantar muros. También se trata de sanar corazones.

Conclusión: Ucrania volverá a brillar

¿Volverá a brillar Ucrania?
Sí. Con cada sesión de terapia, con cada abrazo, con cada vida que recupera
su sentido. La guerra continúa, pero también la esperanza.

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