Humanitarian Aid Ukraine

General presentation:

Starting from 1st of March 2022, HEKS/EPER Romania developed a humanitarian response to the Ukrainian war crisis. Implementing the program through three different partners, the organization managed to help over 100,000 refugees in North-Western and North-Eastern Romania and internally displaced people (IDPs) in Transcarpathia in the first 6 months. These people received one or more of the following forms of aid: multipurpose unconditional cash support, non-food/ WASH items, food, shelter, medical support, transport, counselling, information, etc. The main groups that we focus on are mothers with children, large families, persons with disabilities or chronic illnesses, people with 65+ years old. However, in our project we follow a non-discriminatory approach. For the next year, we are planning to support the existing communities of Ukrainians throughout Romania, with a focus on longer-stay refugees. For this, we will collaborate with existing partners, as well as launch new projects with new partners. The activities for the following year will be a continuation of the first phase, with some small amendments based on the current situation.

Team: The HEKS Romanian team for the Ukrainian response was formed in the first months of the intervention, and it now consists of: Alin Pop (Program Manager), Sara Bivolaru (Program Assistant), Bianca Afrim (Financial Controller) and Estera Brasoveanu (MEAL Assistant).

Our partners:

    1. Open Fields Foundation

    1. FONSS (The Nongovernmental Organization Federation for Social Services)

    1. Diakonia Christian Foundation

    1. Bucovina Institute Association

Locations:

Romania: Satu Mare, Cluj, Suceava, Iasi and Bucharest counties.

Ukraine: Transcarpathia region and Chernivtsi.

Activities: Our program had an abrupt start, with thousands of Ukrainians entering Romania every day. Our partners spent the first weeks at the border offering them practical support for their needs, like general information, transportation, food packages, water, and non-food items.

By September 2022:

    • Over 10,000 people who decided to stay for longer received accommodation and three meals per day in one of our partners’ shelters in Bucharest, Iași, or Tarna Mare.

    • More than 4,000 individuals received multipurpose cash support for at least three months.

    • Around 4,500 refugees received counselling.

    • 2,800 people received transportation or transport vouchers.

    • 120 individuals received medical consultations in a private clinic.

    • Our partners also organized convoy transports to Ukraine with food and non-food items, reaching out to over 50,000 IDPs in Transcarpathia and Chernivtsi.

Project 1:

Partner Organization: Open Fields Foundation

Donor: Swiss Solidarity Organization

Project period: March 2022- September 2023

Title: Support for vulnerable Ukrainian refugees in Romania

Number of beneficiaries: Over 7,000 refugees (as of September 2022)

Main activities: Cash distribution, counselling, vouchers for fuel, medical consultations.

Locations: Cluj-Napoca, Baia Mare and Sighetu Marmației.

Project 2:

Partner Organization: FONSS (The Nongovernmental Organization Federation for Social Services)

Donor: Norwegian Church Aid

Project period: March- July 2022

Title: Multi-sectoral emergency assistance for the most vulnerable conflict-affected refugees in North-Eastern Romania and IDPs in Ukraine

Number of beneficiaries: Over 28,750 refugees (as of July 2022)

Main activities: Educational support, counselling, vouchers, mediation for employment, shelter, meals, information, guidance, referral to local services.

Locations: Bucharest, Iași and Suceava.

Project 3:

Partner Organization: Diakonia Christian Foundation

Donor: Christian Aid Charity

Project period: March 2022- February 2023

Title: Support for vulnerable Ukrainian refugees in Romania

Number of beneficiaries: Over 65,000 refugees in Romania and IDPs in Ukraine (as of September 2022)

Main activities: Information, transport to different places, shelter, meals, counselling, food distribution, cash distribution.

Locations: Satu Mare, Botiz, Negrești Oaș, Tarna Mare, Petea border, Halmeu border, Transcarpathian region in Ukraine.

Project 4:

Partner Organization: Bucovina Institute Association

Donor: Norwegian Church Aid

Project period: July- November 2022

Title: Multi-sectoral emergency assistance for the most vulnerable conflict affected IDPs in Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees in North-Eastern Romania

Number of targeted beneficiaries: 1,200 people (700 IDPs in Ukraine, 500 Ukrainian refugees in Romania)

Main activities: School kits for children, vouchers, information and counselling, labor market mediation, support groups, facilitating access to after school programs for children, participation to cultural and recreational activities

Locations: Suceava and Chernivtsi