Concern Worldwide has reached over 320,000 people in Ukraine since conflict began

“2024 was the toughest year yet for ordinary people in Ukraine as the compound effects of multiple factors really took their toll,” Concern Worldwide’s programme manager in Ukraine Erica Niel explained, on the third anniversary of the start of the conflict.

“Take for example, women with children. They are dealing with the daily power cuts, children who cannot go to school or who are taking part in online learning from home, and the lack of livelihoods and income.  On top of this, because of conscription, many men have been drafted and so they have nobody else in the house to help.”

Scheduled power outages are part of daily life and are a major challenge for ordinary people.  Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been targeted as part of the conflict, with significant damage caused, resulting in long periods of water and power outages.

 “Elderly people living in high rise blocks of apartments are particularly affected because, in addition to having no heat, light or water, when the lifts are not working, they are dependent on others to bring them supplies to survive.”

With winter temperatures frequently dropping to -10 degrees Celsius keeping warm is a major challenge for families, especially as many houses are damaged or poorly maintained  as a result of the conflict.  People in urban areas go to community hubs which have generators to charge phones, stay warm and get hot meals. In rural areas people burn firewood or briquettes in stoves.

Concern is working with German NGO Welthungerhilfe (WHH) as co-founders of the Joint Emergency Response in Ukraine (JERU). Together, with a network of 10 Ukrainian partners, they are supporting impacted communities in 10 oblasts in eastern, southern, and western Ukraine. 

“One of our priorities is to provide cash assistance to cover the urgent needs of those impacted by the conflict,” Ms Neil explained. “We support volunteer groups involved in rapid response activities. We help to evacuate people from towns and villages on the front line, provide psychosocial support to those traumatised by the conflict, fund quick repairs of damaged windows and doors, and provide emergency cash to families.”

They are also supporting people to cope with the harsh winter conditions by providing cash assistance to help people pay utility bills, in a country where energy and heat prices are crippling for ordinary people. 

Concern is working with national partners to provide families with stoves and solid fuel – firewood and briquettes. “The cost of briquettes for the winter period (November to March) is beyond the reach of many people – the equivalent of nine basic pensions for the same period,” Ms Niel explained. 

They primarily help vulnerable people, including female-led households, families with three or more children, older people, those with disabilities and those on low incomes. Some of these families have had to move locations more than once to seek safety or have been displaced for more than two years.

JERU also supports those most affected by the conflict with emergency livelihoods at household level to support the transition away from humanitarian assistance and towards economic recovery.

JERU provides grants for micro, small and medium sized businesses, agricultural grants for livestock feed, to buy tools and equipment and to prepare for the start of the growing season. 

“We are focused on helping people recover from the immediate and long-term effects of the conflict on their livelihoods, their mental health and their lives,” Ms Niel said. “Every family that we help to get through the harsh winter, every person we support to bring food to their homes, every displaced person we help get a job or get their business back on its feet – that is the essence of our work in Ukraine.”

For media queries or to organise an interview contact Eamon Timmins, Media Relations Manager, Concern Worldwide, at eamon.timmins@concern.net or 00 353 87 9880524