The brutal war that broke out in Ukraine in early 2022 continues to this day. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes because of the violence of war. Others have no choice but to remain in life-threatening situations because of poverty or old age.
Deputies of the diaconate launched an emergency relief campaign and there was a good response from our churches. Some €450,000 has been raised so far. In this report we describe the main use of this emergency aid money. Part of it has not yet been spent. That will happen this year.
At the beginning of the Russian invasion, fighting mainly took place in north-east Ukraine, in Chernihivska province, just above Kiev. Many public and private properties were destroyed. With winter approaching, when temperatures can drop to 20 degrees below freezing, this meant a vulnerable and dangerous situation for many households.
From April 2022, we supported partners in the country helping with food, medicine and essential care. From June, we started focusing on repairing damaged houses. Most of the financial aid was spent on safe homes for about 600 war-affected women, men and children.
Although Russian troops have not been present in the area since April 2022, there were regular threats of air strikes and possible incursions, resulting in power cuts, among other things. This hampered recovery work.
How did our partners go about it?
First came beneficiary selection and registration with data verification with the local government. Then, a technical damage assessment took place and then, with the help of local entrepreneurs, the rehabilitation was done and a final inspection took place.
It was planned that we could help around 150 households repair the houses that had suffered war damage. The repairs cost an average of €1,675 per household. By repairing windows, doors, roofs and heating systems, families were protected from the winter. The damage was not equally severe everywhere. Different needs were taken into account and help went to the most vulnerable households as much as possible. In doing so, great care was taken to avoid creating conflicts within the community.
The story of Oleksandr and Kateryna
In February 2022, a shelling damaged the house of pensioners Oleksandr and Kateryna. It became uninhabitable due to broken windows and doors. The roof, a wall and the heating system were also damaged. Oleksandr: 'Thanks to your financial support, we got a new boiler, the roof was repaired, the wall repaired and new doors and windows installed. We couldn't pay for that ourselves. Our pension together is about 60 euros per person and this money is only enough for the most necessary items and medicine.'
Despite his age, Oleksandr Dyuba did many repairs himself. This made it possible to save some of the money and purchase building materials for indoor repair work. The couple is very satisfied with the help and support provided.
The story of Yuriy and Oksana
Yuriy and Oksana's house was shelled by Russian troops on the last day of February 2022. On this day, the village was under massive fire. The air warning system did not work at the time and did not alert the population. There were many casualties; Oksana's 70-year-old mother was seriously injured. The house in which the couple lived with four children became a mess within minutes. The roof, windows and walls were significantly damaged.
The family had no money to restore the house as two members of the family underwent several expensive surgeries. The family was forced to seek temporary shelter, with no hope of returning to their home before winter. Through our help, repair work became possible after all. The roof was completely repaired and destroyed windows and doors were replaced and the family was able to return to their home! According to Oksana, the family could not have restored the house on their own. This help was very important for the family, it gave them strength and optimism to go on and rebuild their lives after all the hostilities.
Evaluation
After the work was completed, participants were given a questionnaire to evaluate the work. This was completed by 97% of the beneficiaries. Almost 93% of the respondents shared that they were satisfied to very satisfied with the repair of the house. When asked whether living conditions were now adequate for winter, half replied 'yes' and 30 per cent 'in most cases'.
Grateful
As diaconate CGK, we are grateful that we could, according to the scripture, help those who have no helper (Psalm 72). There is much brokenness in this world. And in the situation of Ukraine, all suffering is far from over. Let us pray for peace, especially the peace of God, which transcends all understanding.
Let us also give thanks for what we could do together in this country. We cannot help everywhere, but we contribute according to our ability. That may also make us grateful to our God and Father for what we did. We may be his hands and feet.
As diaconate CGK, we were able to give help on this scale because of all the contributions from churches and individual members. Thank you!
