Growing up as an only child, Olha Gez always dreamed of having a big family of her own one day. Now, she runs a family-type orphanage in Dnipropetrovsk oblast — providing a safe haven for some of the most vulnerable children experiencing the war in Ukraine.

“My childhood dream came true when I brought these children home,” the foster mother says. “… They slept and snored so sweetly.”

Currently, Olha and her husband foster 11 children, ranging in age from 5 to 16 years old. To support the family, Olha’s husband had to take a job as a construction worker in another region of Ukraine. Although the state’s social assistance funds are sufficient to cover food expenses, Olha mentions that meeting the rest of their needs has been difficult, especially during the ongoing war.

“We live in a remote place where almost no one comes to visit us,” she says. “That is why we are very happy and grateful for any help.”

Supporting foster families during the war is a crucial but often overlooked aspect of humanitarian work. These families are responsible not only for the welfare, upbringing and development of many children from vulnerable backgrounds but also for ensuring that the children feel safe, even when fighting is happening right next door. In recent weeks, Dnipropetrovsk oblast has had more than 10 air raids a day with the frontline just 3 miles from the Russian border.

Recognizing this challenge, Global Communities partnered with Maximum Charitable Foundation, a civil society organization that supports children in difficult life circumstances, including those in orphanages and foster families. Under the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program, Maximum received funding from the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) to set up a mobile team that travels to remote and hard-to-reach locations.

“Some foster families live more than 30 kilometers from each other, and the roads are often broken, so it is not easy for the state services to get to these families,” says Olga Glushkova, a Maximum case manager. “Our team reaches the most inaccessible places or families who do not have access to social institutions and provides case management services — social and psychological support to children and their families.”

Since partnering with the CLEAR program, Maximum has been able to provide a range of support to 77 families in Dnipropetrovsk oblast, including the Gez family. In addition to hygiene kits, the foundation supplies children in frontline territories with emergency backpacks that contain items they might need while staying in a bomb shelter during an air raid: a thermos, blanket, flashlight, whistle and anti-stress toy. The mobile team also conducts home visits to provide psychosocial support sessions. A social worker and psychologist organize joint activities to benefit both the caregivers and children.

According to Anna Sulima, a psychologist at Maximum, these visits are essential for families adapting to difficult life circumstances or in unique arrangements such as family-type orphanages. Mothers and other caregivers are given an opportunity to share their experiences and discuss any issues they might be having, while children participate in art therapy. Activities with modeling clay and other forms of play help them become more open, overcome their fears and anxiety, and share their innermost feelings in creative ways.

After a recent session, Solomon, one of Olha’s sons, expressed his hopes for the future as conflict continues close to the family’s home: “I dream that the war ends, that a peaceful, calm, free life finally comes to our family, and we live in peace together.”

While the CLEAR program received an extension that will allow Maximum to support families for another two months, Global Communities is committed to introducing the foundation’s impactful initiatives to other non-governmental organizations that might be interested in providing additional support. Maximum also plans to seek out additional funding, so its vital work can continue for vulnerable families throughout the region.

The post Supporting Foster Families Amid Ongoing War in Ukraine appeared first on Global Communities.

Global Communities has a rich history of implementing Child Protection in Emergencies programs. Our interventions are multifaced, ranging from psychosocial counselling and art therapy classes to life skills, literacy and parenting sessions. In countries where institutional services are weak, Global Communities delivers these services directly, including through child-friendly spaces and mobile teams. In other countries, such as Ukraine, these services are delivered by local actors, with technical assistance from Global Communities’ national staff and the Global Support Team.

In this interview, Emily Galloway, our Sr. Technical Advisor for Protection, shares how Global Communities is applying localization principles to child protection interventions within our Community-led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program in Ukraine. CLEAR works in the Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv oblasts to address urgent protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene needs among conflict-affected populations.

The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

Paula: CLEAR is grounded in the principles of localization. How has Global Communities applied these principles to the program design and implementation?

Emily: Global Communities has been implementing a development program focused on local governance in Ukraine since 2016. When Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, we were able to quickly leverage our existing relationships with local communities to craft a locally led response to the humanitarian crisis. Thankfully, our donor—the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA)—was receptive to a program that was much different from our typical approach.  

First, our proposal was much less detailed than usual. Instead of listing exact activities, locations and partners, we provided a scope of what we might do depending on our partners’ interest. Of course, we included standard child protection activities, such as awareness raising and case management, but we built in flexibility that would allow us to co-create specific interventions with local partners.

Second, our partner selection process was different. Instead of focusing solely on partners with the greatest capacity and experience, we selected organizations that were motivated to enter the humanitarian sphere or eager to gain child protection expertise. This tiered partnership model allowed us to work both with larger organizations that could launch a rapid emergency response with minimal support and smaller organizations that were missing from the crisis response. For example, we included women-led groups and community-based organizations operating in rural, less populated areas, where government services are not available. This way we could address niche needs in hard-to-reach communities.

Third, we invested time and resources in the co-creation process. We provided our partners with activity options, and they shared with us community needs. Together, we agreed on their scope of work in child protection.

And finally, we worked with each partner on a tailored capacity strengthening plan. Certain things were not negotiable. For example, all of our partners had to be familiar with humanitarian principles, minimum standards on child protection, child safeguarding and donor’s rules and regulations. Otherwise, the partners could choose their own growth objectives. 

Paula: What are the enabling factors for applying the localization approach in Ukraine’s humanitarian context?        

Emily: Ukraine has a very strong civil society and a decentralized governance system, which we have worked with for years. This has allowed us to capitalize on community strengths and often work within existing structures. For example, our partners could relatively easily establish child-friendly spaces in local schools, libraries or other community centers. In addition, Ukraine has an excellent cadre of psychologists, who were already providing services to children prior to the conflict. What they needed was upskilling. We trained them on how to respond to the needs of children in conflict settings and offered them tools to expand their services. Now, many of them use art therapy, which is a very effective therapeutic modality in times of crisis.

In addition, we have heavily relied on our amazing national staff. They are highly dedicated, motivated and invested in their communities, and they have played a leading role in designing and implementing the program. 

Paula: What are the challenges of localizing humanitarian assistance interventions? 

Emily: The greatest challenge is competing priorities, specifically the need to balance life-saving emergency assistance with capacity strengthening activities, such as training, mentorship and lots of meetings and discussions. On the one hand, we have children who urgently need protection services. On the other hand, we have minimum standards and donor compliance requirements which our partners are
obligated to follow. It takes a lot of time and effort to do both in parallel, especially with more than a dozen organizations.

A short timeframe of humanitarian projects complicates things further. We typically have 12, maybe 18 months to do start up, implementation and close down. Furthermore, child protection is usually one of many components of a humanitarian project, so there is a lot to juggle.

Paula: Balancing the need for rapid response with the need to strengthen local capacities is complicated. How do you address this challenge?  

Emily: The key is to select highly motivated partners, prioritize activities that can be implemented early on, and then layer additional activities when possible. When it comes to capacity strengthening, it is crucial to distinguish strict requirements (e.g., child safeguarding or financial compliance) from good practices (e.g., recommended child protection tools), and focus on what is necessary and most important at a given time. It is also imperative to focus on the practical side of capacity development so that local partners can easily apply the knowledge they have gained in their daily operations. This includes ongoing technical assistance, collaborative decision-making and real-time support. Finally, it is important to leverage existing resources and coordination mechanisms, such as protection clusters.

All of this requires frequent tweaks and adaptations, which can be quite overwhelming for us and our partners. But ultimately, we have better programming, which is more sustainable and responsive to the niche needs of the communities we work with.

Paula: How have you adapted your standard approaches to operationalize localization principles under CLEAR?

Emily: First, we had to acknowledge the uncertainty that comes with a flexible program design. We could not simply implement a one-size-fits-all approach to child protection. Instead, we had to leave room for trial and error and simplify our processes so that we could more easily adapt the program to the ever-changing community needs.

Second, we had to become more comfortable with power- and resource-shifting. This required a critical reflection about our role in the program. Ultimately, we have received funding for the project, and we are accountable for its technical quality. Yet we are putting our partners in the driver’s seat. Building trust with our partners has been incredibly important. We are now in the second phase of the program, and we have made a lot of progress.

And third, we have been very intentional about addressing burnout among our staff and partners. They are the ones who work on the frontlines of an international conflict. They experience both direct and vicarious trauma. And on top of that, they absorb so many burdens of working on a humanitarian assistance project. Their health and well-being is our top priority and we have included funding for staff care into our budget. We have also encouraged our partners to incorporate it in their budgets.

Paula: What are some of the most significant localization achievements of the CLEAR program? What are you most proud of?

Emily: One of our objectives is to strengthen our partners’ capacity so that they can receive direct funding from other donors. One of such organizations is Lampa: a young, small and very motivated organization working on the frontlines of the conflict in the east of Ukraine. Lampa is an amazing partner. They provide comprehensive child protection services and really understand children’s layered needs. Thanks to CLEAR, Lampa now receives independent funding from the United Nations and other donors.

Another objective is to reach communities and vulnerable groups that would be otherwise overlooked by donors and international organizations. We have had many successes in this regard. For example, we have partnered with Civic Initiatives, which works in small, rural areas to train local art therapists who can then remain in their communities and serve the needs of children in the long run. I am also excited about the work of larger organizations, such as Chernihiv European and Search for Innovation, which engage local grassroots groups to provide services to children with disabilities.

The key takeaway is that localization is possible from the beginning of a crisis. It is not easy, and it requires adaptation, but it ensures greater sustainability and responsiveness to community needs.    

Paula: What changes would you recommend at the policy level to better support localization efforts in humanitarian interventions?

Emily: I have several recommendations for humanitarian donors:

1. Require adequate budgeting for capacity strengthening. Both international and local partners need solid funding for capacity strengthening activities, including training, mentoring and ongoing support. We cannot expect local partners to comply with the requirements and minimum technical standards they are not familiar with.

2. Encourage flexibility in program design and co-creation with local partners. In a rapidly changing context, interventions included in a proposal may no longer be the priority once the program rolls out. For example, no one anticipated local markets in liberated areas of Ukraine to resume so quickly. As a result, many actors distributed large amounts of non-food items (NFIs) when they could have balanced the NFIs with vouchers or cash assistance to support local businesses. The co-creation process allows us to address the most pressing needs and gaps as they emerge.

3. Fund longer projects. The standard 12- or 18-month timeframe is insufficient to build rapport and trust with local partners and to implement parallel humanitarian assistance and capacity strengthening interventions.

4. Simplify compliance requirements and decentralize decision-making. We can streamline and speed up program implementation if our in-country staff can approve partnerships under a certain financial threshold, and if our partners are less bogged down in bureaucracy.

Paula: Thank you for your insights. How can our audiences learn more about CLEAR and our child protection activities?

Emily: I encourage you to watch the recording of my presentation about this topic, which I delivered at the 2024 Annual Meeting for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action. To learn more about our protection programming, please read my recent blog Protecting Children in Emergencies: Perspectives from Syria and Ukraine and review our technical factsheet, Protection in Emergencies. You can also find me on LinkedIn.

Emily Galloway

Sr. Technical Advisor, Protection

Emily has more than ten years of experience working domestically and internationally with displaced and crisis-affected populations. With Global Communities, she is responsible for providing technical support and guidance to humanitarian protection programs, including Child Protection and Gender-Based Violence, and leading protection mainstreaming efforts within the Humanitarian Assistance portfolio. Emily also has experience in Safeguarding and PSEA in emergency response and is dedicated to ensuring we provide support to communities safely and with dignity. Prior to Global Communities, Emily worked for the International Labour Organization, primarily implementing child labor programming in Somalia. She also supported refugees newly resettled in the U.S. in many capacities.

Emily holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master’s Degree in Peace & Conflict Studies from the University of St. Andrews.

Global Communities is home to a diverse team of professionals with a broad range of expertise and perspectives that help us build the world we envision: one of expanded opportunity, where crises give way to resilience and all people thrive. In our new “Pass the Mic” series, our global staff share innovative ideas and in-depth insights on timely topics spanning the development, humanitarian and peace nexus. Learn how our colleagues are co-creating a more just, prosperous and equitable global community.

The post Pass the Mic: Localizing Child Protection Interventions in Ukraine’s Humanitarian Context appeared first on Global Communities.

Global Communities has a rich history of providing emergency aid and protection services to refugees and internally displaced people in many crisis settings, from Ukraine and Gaza to Syria and Guatemala. This includes our Child Protection in Emergencies (CPiE) programming, which supports the well-being of children and addresses risks created or exacerbated by crises. In emergencies, children are often the most vulnerable and at-risk population group. They face a range of threats, including violence, exploitation, family separation and a loss of education.

Global Communities employs community-based and multisectoral approaches to CPiE. We work to strengthen children’s resilience, prevent further harm and foster protective environments by engaging with children’s families and communities. We partner with caregivers, community leaders, local authorities, schools, nutrition specialists and health workers. Our CPiE interventions are usually implemented through Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS), community-based organizations (CBOs) and mobile teams trained to provide a variety of services to children. They encompass both prevention and response services, ranging from awareness raising and recreational activities to psychosocial counselling and case management. They are designed to meet children’s most immediate needs and support their long-term recovery. CFS allow children and caregivers to receive assistance in physically and emotionally safe environments. Mobile teams bring services to children and parents where they are: in their homes, schools or healthcare facilities. This increases access and outreach to the most vulnerable.

Children enrolled in our CPiE programs also participate in life skills sessions and basic literacy and numeracy training, which helps them return to school when they are able to. Moreover, we facilitate parenting sessions which offer information about early childhood development, help caregivers manage their own stress, and provide parents with tools to help their children cope with the crisis. Our crisis response also includes cash assistance, for instance to ensure that children have stable housing, and other specialized services, for example removing children from harmful work.

Global Communities implements large CPiE projects in Syria and Ukraine. These are very distinct contexts, requiring different approaches.

• In Syria, we have been providing direct services in displacement camps since 2016. We are the primary service provider in our communities because of the lack of local authorities and institutional services.
• Our Ukraine CPiE programming began in 2022 in response to the full-scale Russian invasion. Here, we employ a localization approach and provide services primarily through our local partners, typically CBOs. The goal is to fill gaps in state services and strengthen the capacity of local actors to deliver humanitarian assistance.

Caring for War-Affected Children in Ukraine

For over two years, Ukraine has been engulfed in a full-scale war, with devastating consequences for its children. As of March 2024, 600 children have been killed, 1,357 children have been injured and 3.2 million children need protection services.

The impact of the war on children cannot be overstated. Physical and psychological violence, displacement, loss of homes and loved ones, and restricted access to education and services prevail in their lives, negatively impacting their well-being. Furthermore, since the war started, the risks of child exploitation, neglect, abuse and gender-based violence have increased. Children affected by the armed conflict have lost not only their usual living conditions but also their social connections. They have been forced to part with their friends, classmates, teachers and sometimes family members. These changes have caused severe stress, anxiety and trauma.

Since 2022, Global Communities has been implementing the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program, financed by the Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Child protection is one of the key pillars of CLEAR. Most CPiE interventions are led by small organizations whose employees have experienced the consequences of the war themselves. They apply the best practices of child protection in their communities with the program’s technical support grounded in global insights. These interventions include recreational activities, psychosocial services (such as art therapy classes) and life skills education for children, and psychosocial support for parents. Our partners not only help improve the psychological well-being of children and their parents, but they also support the integration of internally displaced people into host communities, which fosters social cohesion. Our program participants establish new social connections and make new friends, which helps reduce feelings of alienation. This is very important for children’s further development and well-being.

Healing through Art in the Sokyriany Community

One of CLEAR’s partner CBOs, Poshuk Innovatsi (Search for Innovations), works in Sokyriany—the most remote hromada (territorial community) of the Chernivtsi oblast (region). Global Communities is the only international organization providing humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people in this community.

Chernivtsi is located in the western part of Ukraine, which has been relatively unaffected by direct hostilities, but has received tens of thousands of displaced people fleeing the fighting in the east. Children who arrive at Chernivtsi from the occupied territories demonstrate signs of severe stress, anxiety and trauma. They are scared to be separated from their parents, do not want to leave their temporary homes and have problems with sleeping at night. Their parents are stressed, too. Busy addressing their families’ urgent needs, like housing and livelihoods, they often lack time to focus on their children’s emotional needs.

Poshuk Innovatsi began its CLEAR programming by meeting individually with displaced families to show them that they were not alone and to inform them about psychosocial support available to them through CLEAR.  After that, the CBO involved staff of local schools to support the integration of displaced people. Then, they organized a series of creative lab classes for displaced and local children, where they could express their feelings through different activities, such as drawing, painting and sculpting.

At first, displaced children used dark colors and drew tanks, explosions and soldiers. During the clay therapy sessions, they ruined their own crafts, bursting with anger. Later, psychologists who facilitated these activities explained to the children how to express and process their feelings more flexibly. For example, the kids learned how to tear fabric and use it make Motanka dolls, which are traditional Ukrainian talismans representing prosperity, goodness and hope. When displaced children showed signs of improvement, they started working in pairs with local children and making friends.

Children are the most vulnerable category among internally displaced people. Often, they cannot express their worries with words, and we can see them only through their drawings, crafts, games, movements and behavior. Our task was to help them cope with the emotions caused by the horrors of the war and the challenges in a new place of living. We wanted them to relax and start living full lives.

Inna Yatsyshyna, Director of Poshuk Innovatsi

Poshuk Innovatsi’s social integration efforts culminated in a heartwarming family eco-picnic. There, children and their parents could relax in nature, connect with each other and participate in fun activities. Alongside new local friends, they planted trees, contributing to the emotional and physical well-being of their community.

Supporting Displaced Children and Caregivers in Syria

There are 5.5 million internally displaced people across Syria, including more than 2 million in camps and informal settlements. Idleb and Aleppo governorates in the northwest host the most displaced families, many of whom had to flee multiple times over the course of the 13-year conflict. The majority of displaced people living in camps have exhausted nearly all their economic, financial, physical and social assets, and they are dependent on humanitarian aid, particularly for life-saving services such as water and food.

Protection of children remains a serious and widespread challenge in Syria. Specific issues include porous child protection referral mechanisms, weak case management, dysfunctional formal justice systems and a very limited access to specialized services, such as psychosocial support or care for survivors of gender-based violence. There is a dire need for comprehensive prevention and response interventions to reduce and mitigate risks to children caused by the conflict and displacement. Other needs include community sensitization and mobilization, and strengthening of local institutions, including traditional and religious bodies, so that they can provide better services to at-risk children.

Global Communities began protection programming in Syria in 2016, working both inside and outside of camp settings in northern Syria. To mitigate risks to children, we work through stationary CFS and mobile outreach teams. We implement most extensive CPiE programming in the Atmeh Camp, which is located in the Idleb governorate and hosts an estimated 170,000 people. Our teams provide a wide range of services to children and caregivers, including awareness raising on child rights, play and learn activities, life skills, parenting skills, peer support groups, counselling and referrals to essential services. We reach approximately 30,000 children and caregivers every year.

Promoting Girls’ Empowerment in the Atmeh Camp

Selin* is an 11-year-old girl who was born in the Atmeh Camp and – like most of her peers – has never had a home beyond the camp. Selin’s main caretaker is her mother; her father has been imprisoned for ten years. For a very long time, Selin lived in isolation. She used to avoid socializing with her peers, and she frequently showed signs of fear and confusion. When our team met Selin, they referred her to one of our social workers, who paid a home visit to her family.  

The social worker observed that Selin had significant domestic responsibilities, despite being so young. She had to take care for her brothers, in addition to caring for her elderly grandmother. She was not allowed to leave the house, and she could rarely play with other children. She was also caught in a conflict between her mother’s and father’s families regarding her care. The social worker took time to explain to Selin’s mom how important play and learn activities are for children’s development. The mom noted that Selin loved drawing and was very talented, so the social worker suggested enrolling Selin in structured psychosocial support services, including art therapy. Eventually, our team registered Selin at one of our CFS centers and invited her mom to participate in parenting sessions. This changed Selin’s mother’s perspective on the importance of play and relationships with peers.

These activities contributed to boosting Selin’s self-confidence, and she made new friends. Gradually, she began participating and playing with groups of children, overcoming the shyness and confusion that were initially apparent when she joined the center. Selin is now one of the outstanding children in the center, actively engaging in activities with other children.

Tarek Fakhereddin, Senior Child Protection Officer, Global Communities

Through interventions like these, child protection efforts not only provide immediate relief but also lay the groundwork for long-term resilience and recovery. Ultimately, by ensuring the safety and security of children, these initiatives contribute to building more stable and sustainable communities in the aftermath of crises. Investing in children’s physical, emotional, and educational needs not only ensures their individual growth and development, but also helps to mitigate the same risks experienced by children in their communities in the future.

*The name has been changed to protect Selin’s identity.

The post Protecting Children in Emergencies: Perspectives from Syria and Ukraine appeared first on Global Communities.

It all began with a simple idea: create a public co-working space for local businesses to establish a business school that would provide tools for success. Little did these project developers know how much this community-powered idea would change the lives of residents and set in motion the wheels of local economic development.

PIcturing a way forward, together

Mariia Demchuk is a dedicated and determined entrepreneur from Lanovetska who was struggling to realize her dream of becoming a professional photographer. With limited resources and the need to provide for her family, she often felt her goals were out of reach.

She vividly remembers the first day she walked into the newly established co-working space. It was a bustling hub of creativity, with a video studio for content creators, a spacious conference hall and a photo studio promising great potential. The modern office set-ups, meeting place and cozy recreation areas were designed to foster entrepreneurial growth. Global Communities’ USAID-funded Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency (DOBRE) program provided the grant that allowed the community to develop this opportunity.

“Opening a photo studio in Lanivka helped me to develop my business and significantly increased the number of customers,” Mariia shared. “Moreover, those willing to have a photo session do not need to travel 60 km to the regional center; now, they can do it where they live. Together with the city council, we started to organize social projects and photo sessions for those who could not afford them.”

DOBRE is providing comprehensive technical assistance to 60 territorial communities (TCs), including Lanovetska, to help the TCs recover from the war with Russia and resume their economic development. One aspect of the program involves providing guidance to TCs on how to cultivate local entrepreneurship, accommodate relocating businesses, support cooperatives, attract outside investment and other matters. DOBRE also provides material assistance to support specific projects.

“The mission of the USAID DOBRE program is to help communities take stock of their resources, identify challenges and find solutions for them. We also help communities develop sustainably and increase their economic capacity,” said Vitaliy Yurkiv, the program’s Local Economic Development expert. “At the same time, we do not impose any direction but encourage residents to determine their own priorities. Today, our communities turn to us precisely for help in economic development – they seek to create new jobs, maintain existing businesses and help relocated businesses.

building up local entrepreneurs

While support from DOBRE has been essential, the real catalyst for the success of those like Mariia is the B2B School, a business school that opened just a few days after the co-working space was launched. It is a beacon of knowledge and unique opportunity for local residents who want to learn how to translate their ideas into concrete plans.

To date, more than 20 small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business owners have enrolled in B2B’s program, where skilled instructors provide training in marketing, finance and business management. The school’s mission is simple but powerful: to equip local entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge necessary to grow their businesses.

In addition, through the co-working space, a series of trainings have been held for 25 more people — half of whom are already entrepreneurs and the rest who aspire to become business owners. With the help of mentors, participants have already prepared business plans and are looking for funds to implement their ideas.

“I got acquainted with the co-working space and its possibilities when I joined the business school. The major part of the training was held here, because the co-working space has all the conditions for comfortable work and relaxation,” said Hryhorii Soltis, a local entrepreneur and B2B program participant. “The co-working space has created all the conditions for actual and potential entrepreneurs.”

The co-working space and business school have jump-started local economic development. The businesses that have found a home within its walls are growing, creating new jobs for the community and contributing to its prosperity. The impact is visible not only in financial progress but also in the renewed sense of hope and purpose that has swept through the lives of local residents.

In a country still suffering from Russia’s full-scale invasion, where small towns often face economic challenges, the activity of Lanovetska TC offers an excellent example of how local initiatives can lead to significant change. Funding by the USAID DOBRE program provided the initial push, but it was the dedication of people like Mariia and Hryhorii and the entrepreneurial spirit of other community members that has ultimately made the difference.

This success story is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of Global Communities and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

The post Making Space for Economic Growth in Ukraine’s Lanovetska Community appeared first on Global Communities.

“For the first time in my life working in the public sector, we as an organization not only provide assistance but receive it,” says Zhanna Derii, who is part of an association of teachers from Chernihiv Polytechnic National University that make up the civil society organization (CSO) known as Chernihiv European.

Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Chernihiv European was implementing university youth initiatives and education projects with support from Global Communities and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded DOBRE program. However, like many institutions in the region, the university suffered extensive damage from a bombing in the early days of the conflict and life abruptly changed overnight.

According to the United Nations Development Programme, nearly 10% of Chernihiv Oblast’s infrastructure has been damaged or completely destroyed as a result of the ongoing Russian invasion, including more than 300 hospitals, schools, social protection facilities and cultural sites.

When repairs began at Chernihiv Polytechnic and the university’s teachers started returning to the city, Zhanna says members of Chernihiv European wanted to shift the CSO’s focus to providing humanitarian assistance to people in the recently liberated area.

“It seemed to us that we had the desire and resources to help others, but it turned out that humanitarian response is a highly complicated activity,” she said. “You can even cause harm if you don’t know how to maintain [it].”

If we didn’t receive CLEAR’s support, we would have made many mistakes.”

Zhanna Derii, Chernihiv European CSO member

To help Chernihiv European and 12 other local Ukrainian partner organizations effectively move forward with war recovery efforts, Global Communities partnered with USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance to implement the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program. From providing home repairs and winterization cash assistance to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) kits and psychosocial support, CLEAR offers lifesaving emergency relief while helping adults and children alike heal from the trauma of war in 23 communities of Chernihiv and Chernivtsi oblasts.

“CLEAR prioritizes working in smaller and remote communities through local CSOs to secure better humanitarian access to vulnerable populations,” said Dubravka Latinac Pem, CLEAR Program Director. “Local actors know the needs of people in their communities and how to work with them better than anyone else.”

When Chernihiv European joined the CLEAR program as a local partner organization, Global Communities provided the CSO’s members with training on humanitarian standards, volunteer management, distribution, monitoring, cash assistance, protection activities, hygiene promotion, safeguarding, burnout prevention and resilience development, among other key topics.

“If we didn’t receive CLEAR’s support, we would have made many mistakes,” Zhanna says.

Instead, the CSO was able to confidently provide humanitarian assistance to two community groups that might otherwise have been overlooked by larger projects.

For Vulyk, which means “Hive” in Ukrainian, Chernihiv European organized a training on psychosocial support for parents of children with disabilities and provided materials for the group to conduct art therapy sessions. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, an estimated 1.5 million Ukrainian children are at risk of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues, with potentially lasting effects, due to their exposure to war and conflict. The children who are part of Vulyk have the added challenge of often being excluded from social activities due to their disabilities. Art therapy provided them with an opportunity to be in community, express their emotions and ultimately begin healing from the stress they have experienced over the past two years.

“There are many different vulnerable categories, but people with disabilities are the most vulnerable among them,” Zhanna says. “… In times of war, their needs become even more complicated.”

With support from CLEAR, Chernihiv European also assisted a local organization that works with people who are blind. Although the government provided the group with a space to conduct social activities, it had no amenities in place for members to meet comfortably. Chernihiv European helped them to obtain tables, chairs, sofas and a laptop with an audio system to listen to movies.

“When people have nothing and suddenly get support, they can’t believe their luck. All the time, they have been asking if all these things will be left to them,” Zhanna says. “… Of course, we can’t provide stable cash assistance to each of them, but we can help them create a space where they can gather, support each other and develop their community.”

Over the life of the program, CLEAR aims to address the urgent protection, shelter and WASH needs of 22,580 people who have been affected by the war in Ukraine. A total of 13 local partner organizations are supporting implementation efforts. By layering lifesaving humanitarian interventions with long-term development assistance, Global Communities is working with Ukrainian communities to respond to the crisis, set the stage for post-war reconstruction and foster lasting resilience to shocks and stresses.

Learn more about our three current projects in Ukraine through our Crisis to Resilience series.

The post Localizing Humanitarian Assistance to Help Meet Needs of Marginalized Groups in Ukraine appeared first on Global Communities.

Chernihiv oblast has been one of the regions most severely affected by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. When it was under Russian occupation during the first five weeks of the war, residents – including children – were forced to spend long hours and days in shelters to protect themselves from heavy gunfire and shelling.

That experience, coupled with displacement, loss of loved ones, chronic exposure to violence, lack of stability and a host of other adversities, had a devastating impact on the mental health and well-being of civilians.

In light of these issues, Global Communities is working through local civil society organizations (CSOs) in remote communities of Ukraine to strengthen and scale up psychosocial support services as part of the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program. With funding from the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA), CLEAR has been able to reach those in need who are overlooked by large humanitarian projects. The project’s approach is driven by the understanding that local organizations are best positioned to understand and meet the unique needs of the communities they serve with the right support and technical assistance.

One example of a successful CLEAR partnership in action is a project led by Civic Initiatives of Ukraine, a local CSO in the Chernihiv region. Even before Russia’s full-scale invasion, the region did not have enough qualified professionals to meet the growing need for psychological support among residents. Over the years, the positions of school psychologists were reduced. And in rural areas, they did not exist at all. After the first explosions in the Chernihiv region in February 2022, psychologists who had worked in relatively large settlements left Ukraine or moved to other regions as internally displaced people.

Nelia Lavrynenko had experience working in charitable camps for children from the eastern part of Ukraine, where the first stage of the war started in 2014. After the liberation of the Chernihiv region, she quickly understood the critical need for psychosocial support for people living in these territories. Her idea was to train schoolteachers to provide psychological first aid for children using art therapy.

Under Nelia’s leadership – and with support from the CLEAR program via Civic Initiatives of Ukraine – 45 teachers and school psychologists from three communities in the region underwent training on using art therapy with children. The project purposefully selected people willing to work as volunteers.

“From my long-term experience in a public area, those who sincerely consider this job as needed for themselves and other people are ready to work as volunteers,” Nelia said. “If we pay people from the very beginning, we will have plenty of those interested, but in some time, the program and financing will end. And what then?”

During the training, the school workers learned not only theory but also practiced using clay, playdough, strings and sand as resources for therapy. With funding from USAID/BHA, Civic Initiatives of Ukraine provided all the necessary materials for these activities and supervising support. At the final stage of the training, newly educated professionals worked out their knowledge in groups. Then, they started the practice in their communities. After several classes with children, parents who were encouraged by the results asked the art therapists if they could provide the same classes for adults.

“These classes are a completely new experience for me,” said Nadiia, a Ukrainian Language teacher who received training under the CLEAR program on how to apply art therapy methods with children. “I feel like another person, so inspired by what I do together with these children, as if I am healing on my own.”

According to Civic Initiatives of Ukraine, art therapists can recognize if art therapy is enough for a child or if specialized war trauma therapy is needed as well. Usually, those children who are not traumatized deeply show signs of improvement after 10 classes. If after 10-15 art classes, no changes have been observed in a child’s mental state, art therapists recommend sessions with trauma professionals. Even so, only one child psychiatrist is available in the entire region.

After Nelia’s project under the CLEAR program showed successful results, Chernihiv regional state authorities initiated a meeting with all organizations that work on psychosocial support in their communities. Now, they are working on mapping areas where psychosocial support is available and where additional resources are needed.

The art therapists who underwent training via Civic Initiatives of Ukraine have already been thinking about how to move forward after support from the CLEAR program ends.

“We focus them on the fact that they have already had a community and experience. They could organize and start their own projects,” Nelia said. “These people are extremely sincere in their worries and care about people in their communities. In half a year, they completed everything that we had planned for them for a year. Now they are eagerly interested in further development.”

Meanwhile, under the CLEAR program, art therapists also had the opportunity to attend training on burnout prevention to gain knowledge on how to fulfill their own needs while helping others.

The post Ukraine’s Resilience Strengthened by Grassroots Psychosocial Support and Civic Partnerships appeared first on Global Communities.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive issue that disproportionately affects women, girls and vulnerable individuals during emergencies. In disaster or conflict-affected areas, gender inequalities and power dynamics can both exacerbate existing risks of GBV and create new ones. While risks are always context-specific, we see many similarities in different crisis settings, from Ukraine and Syria to the West Bank and Gaza.

There are also GBV risks related to humanitarian interventions, which are often designed by men, lack gender and safety considerations, and underprioritize the unique needs of women and girls.  

Our Approach

Global Communities works in humanitarian settings around the world and implements GBV in Emergencies (GBViE) programming in several countries. We use this approach to respond quickly to new and worsening GBV risks for women, girls and other vulnerable groups. GBViE is a lifesaving and important component of our emergency response and humanitarian programs.  

While we tailor our responses to the unique risks and needs of crisis-affected populations, we implement several standard GBViE activities. For example, during the onset of an acute emergency, such as an earthquake or recent displacement, we focus on lifesaving services that address women’s and girls’ immediate safety needs. We also use conflict- and gender-sensitive approaches to adapt our existing programs. While responding to protracted conflicts, we tend to prioritize work with community-based structures to empower women and improve the overall protective environment for them.  

Responding to GBV in the West Bank and Gaza

Much of the world is currently watching and responding to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East. On October 1, 2023, Global Communities initiated its Pioneers-Raedat Project — a five-year initiative to promote the empowerment of women in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. A week later, on October 7, Hamas attacked Israel and Israel declared a war against Hamas. These events have led to a devastating humanitarian crisis for civilians in Gaza and changed the context for which Pioneers-Raedat had been designed. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the conflict, facing significant threats to their lives and safety, including increased GBV concerns.  

• One-third of those killed are women and children.
• There are 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza, with approximately 5,522 expected to deliver in the next month; they face dramatically reduced access to maternal and newborn care.
• 788,800 women and girls have been displaced from their homes. 
• 2,056 women have recently become widows or the heads of households. 
• Overcrowding and a lack of water and sanitation is impacting women’s menstrual hygiene practices.
• Queues for bread are over 5 hours on average and essential food items are almost depleted.

In acute emergencies, such as in Gaza, the extreme security threats, lack of services and deterioration of family social support networks raise a variety of risks. For example, overcrowding in shelters for displaced people increases the risk of physical or sexual abuse. The extreme lack of access to basic commodities, such as food, increases the risk of exploitation and abuse as women try to provide for themselves and their families. 

In this context, Global Communities is modifying existing programs to address some of these risks. Currently, it is still extremely difficult for non-governmental organizations to access Gaza and deliver aid. The frontline staff, who would implement such activities, are focused on protecting their families, while experiencing significant trauma.  

There is a significant impact in the West Bank as well, with increasing safety concerns, movement restrictions and psychological distress linked to the suffering in Gaza. Moreover, economic deterioration is making life more difficult for women there. We are poised to respond to this situation with immediate response activities, including: 

• Gathering information about protection and GBV risks and needs. 
• Responding to immediate protection needs with cash and dignity kits containing hygiene and sanitary items.
• Mapping available GBV and protection services, and helping women access them.
• Disseminating key messages about emerging risks and protection strategies.
• Providing basic Psychological First Aid to prevent further traumatization. 
• Advocating for GBV risk mitigation practices, such as safe and gender-responsive distribution of aid.
• Planning for the next phase of psychosocial support sessions, safe spaces for women and girls, and case management for GBV survivors.

It is important to view these different types of activities and contexts along a spectrum. Immediate and well-coordinated efforts are essential to mitigate the impact of the crisis on women and girls. Humanitarian actors, like us, need to prioritize their safety, well-being and dignity. This lays the foundation for early recovery and development efforts that will focus on promoting women’s resilience and agency.  

Implementing gbviE in other Contexts

Global Communities implements GBViE in other contexts too, including Syria and Ukraine, which have unique GBV risks and response needs. For example, for the past seven years we have been providing GBViE services in the displaced persons camp in northwest Syria, where there are no services provided by local institutions. Because the civil society in this region is still weak, Global Communities is the primary service provider, implementing a comprehensive, geographically concentrated approach to fill a range of service needs in a community prioritized based on the level of need and vulnerability. 

In Ukraine, Global Communities implements GBViE through local partners under the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program. This project includes capacity strengthening and mentoring of local organizations to increase their ability to respond to the crisis. The government of Ukraine continues to provide services through local institutions in many parts of the country. Local civil society organizations, which were strong before the 2022 escalation of the conflict, have pivoted to providing humanitarian response. In this situation, Global Communities fills specific geographic and service gaps, and supports local actors, which had no humanitarian experience prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion. These organizations are eager to build on their previous experience to better serve their communities in this crisis.  

In all these crises, Global Communities provides tailored packages of services for women and girls. Addressing GBV must always be “localized” and built on the priorities and preferences of those most affected – women, girls and other vulnerable individuals who are at risk of or have experienced GBV. GBV is a sensitive, personal issue that is felt uniquely by those affected. We will continue to work with women, girls and their communities to support a reduction in violence they face and a realization of their human rights.

The post Preventing and Responding to Gender-based Violence in Humanitarian Settings appeared first on Global Communities.

I remember feeling frightened and devastated when the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began unfolding on my television screen in February 2022. While these feelings were, and still are, not isolated, there is something incredibly jarring about watching the neighboring country being attacked by one of the world’s superpowers. I am originally from Poland, which shares borders, a long history and many traditions with Ukraine, and where intergenerational war trauma is still very much alive. Things hit close to home, very quickly. Since the war started, more than 15 million people have crossed the Polish border from Ukraine and more than 1.6 million have applied for protection in Poland alone. Globally, there are 6.3 million Ukrainian refugees. More than 5 million people are estimated to be displaced internally, and over 17 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance inside Ukraine. That’s nearly half of the country’s current population.

Global Communities, where I have been working for over 2.5 years, has had a long presence in Ukraine. Since 2016, we have been leading the Decentralization Offering Better Results and Efficiency (DOBRE) program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). When the full-scale invasion commenced, DOBRE began leveraging its networks to provide rapid emergency response to conflict-affected populations and to assist at least 60 communities in 10 oblasts (provinces) in their war recovery efforts. Simultaneously, Global Communities has partnered with USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA) to implement the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program in the Chernihiv and Chernivtsi oblasts. CLEAR works through local civil society organizations (CSOs) to address urgent protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene needs, including through direct cash assistance.

Earlier this year, I traveled to Chernivtsi to meet our incredible team and observe how our DOBRE and CLEAR programs work in tandem to support Ukrainian people on their journey from crisis to resilience. Located in western Ukraine, Chernivtsi is the smallest oblast, with a population of less than 1 million. While the oblast has been relatively unaffected by direct hostilities, it is now home to approximately 100,000 people who have been displaced from other parts of the country, mostly from the east and the south. 

On the first day of my trip, I sat down with Oksana Mykhailenko, Global Communities’ Protection and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Manager, to discuss the opportunities and challenges of providing emergency assistance in Ukraine. The interview was conducted in Ukrainian with English interpretation provided by Tetiana Dudnyk, CLEAR Communications Officer at Global Communities. The conversation was edited for length, clarity and flow of information. 

Paula: Could you tell me a bit about yourself and your role at Global Communities?

Oksana: I joined Global Communities, specifically the CLEAR program in Ukraine, in November 2022. At first, I was a technical officer for the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV). Now, I also manage our protection activities. I have been working for non-governmental organizations in Ukraine since 2006, and these topics are very close to my heart.

Prior to the war, Ukraine had a vibrant community of professionals working on gender and health issues. This proved critical after the onset of the invasion, when the Ukrainian government lost the ability to react quickly to the needs of women, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable populations, especially in the occupied territories. Through our professional network, we were able to distribute medications, contraceptives, food and other basic commodities.

My current role at Global Communities entails many responsibilities, such as advising our staff, government officials and civil society partners on how to provide emergency assistance in a safe, respectful and dignified way. For example, it is important to ensure that we do not ask women intimate questions in front of other people. Or that bathrooms in centers for displaced people have locks; otherwise, some women and girls may be afraid to use them. Most organizations and service providers in Ukraine are still getting used to working in humanitarian settings. They are full of energy and desire to help people, but they can cause harm if they are unaware how to do it properly.   

Paula: How has the war affected your life, personally and professionally?

Oksana: I am originally from Nova Kakhovka — a city in the Kherson oblast — which has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. The day the war started was the worst day of my life. At that time, I was in Kyiv conducting a training and could not return to my hometown. I had to wait half a year before I could see my family. Right now, my young daughter lives with me here in Chernivtsi. A lot of my colleagues have moved here as well. My husband and son have joined the Ukrainian armed forces and are away. As you know, in June, the Nova Kakhovka dam was destroyed, which caused a massive flooding in the area. We cannot even get to our home because of the occupation. Things are hard, but I understand very well what people need. I am glad to have found the position with Global Communities.

Paula: I am sorry you have faced so many personal challenges, and I am grateful for all your work at Global Communities and beyond. What are the most critical needs of war-affected people in the Chernivtsi oblast?

Oksana: It is necessary to support all people who have suffered from the impacts of the war, including displaced people, host communities, those who return from the frontlines, and those who have been directly affected by hostilities. And it is important to include all categories of vulnerable people. Of course, people’s needs depend on their personal situation. They change and grow constantly, and we do not know when they will end. For example, when displaced people first arrived in the Chernivtsi oblast, they needed places to stay, food, clothes and hygiene essentials. Then, they needed winter preparation assistance. Now, they need cash and credit so that they can regain control of their lives and rebuild their livelihoods, rather than being dependent on external assistance indefinitely.

Another issue is that many people moved to the Chernivtsi region — which is mostly rural — from big cities, and are now forced to live in small villages, which do not have adequate infrastructure to accommodate them. They need daycare centers, schools and clinics. Local governments are trying to help, but they have limited resources. Humanitarian assistance should not only be about meeting people’s basic needs; we should also focus on the quality of people’s lives. While temporary settlements are vital, a woman with small children should not walk five kilometers to the nearest shop for extended periods of time.

Finally, people need jobs. Many people displaced from eastern Ukraine are engineers and technicians, which are not popular professions in this part of the country. They are unable to work in their prior occupations, so they need vocational and business skills training to support their economic integration. Workplace creation is also key. 

Paula: What needs to be done to protect people in Chernivtsi from psychological harm arising from the war?

Oksana: Again, different groups of people need different things. For example, teenagers and young people need socialization and educational activities. They suffer a lot because they have lost their friends, homes and schools. Many still study online and feel isolated. We should do our best to involve them in rebuilding activities. They need to be included in community life. They are the future of Ukraine.

We also need to pay special attention to displaced families, especially women with small children whose husbands and fathers are on the frontlines. In addition to the economic hardships, they are now the primary caregivers not only for their children, but also elderly family members. Many have to build their lives from scratch and do everything by themselves. They need psychosocial support and opportunities to rest, relax and connect with others.

Paula: How does Global Communities respond to these needs?

Oksana: We have a lot of inspirational results. Our CLEAR program partners with local civil society and community-based organizations to offer group-based psychosocial support to displaced people, create safe spaces and organize community events, such as art therapy classes, sporting activities and cultural festivals. These events promote healing and integration. We involve local residents, too, to build trust and social cohesion. It is very important for displaced people, including children, to get together and socialize. It makes them feel better and decreases anxiety because they get acquainted with the local life. At the same time, host communities learn about the culture and traditions dominant in eastern Ukraine, so this is mutually beneficial. CLEAR also organizes workshops on the prevention of domestic violence for displaced women. While they might have had support systems in their hometowns, they do not know where to seek help after moving to Chernivtsi. 

Paula: What are some of the challenges associated with the integration of displaced people in the Chernivtsi oblast? How can we strengthen social cohesion within host communities?

Oksana: There are significant demographic, cultural and even linguistic differences between western Ukraine and the eastern part of the country, which is perceived to be more “Russian.” We see many lingering beliefs and stereotypes about eastern Ukraine here. This creates misunderstandings and tensions. Local people are quite resentful that Ukrainians from the east do not speak Ukrainian and are surprised to learn that they follow Ukrainian traditions, too. For example, they wear similar embroidered shirts, just with different patterns. Local residents are welcoming, but they also feel the economic burdens caused by displacement. These social dynamics are complicated, but the events I mentioned before show us that we have more in common than we had thought.

Paula: Could you share more about your work with community-based organizations?

Oksana: Our local partners do really great things. This is a successful approach because civil society organizations know their communities and their needs. They also have their unique skillsets, experiences and methodologies. But there are also challenges. International donors and organizations, like Global Communities, have many complex compliance requirements, which are burdensome and difficult to understand by small organizations. For example, CLEAR has strict vulnerability criteria for selecting recipients of humanitarian assistance. So, we provide oversight and increase their technical, financial and administrative capacities so that they can influence sustainable changes in their communities more effectively. 

Paula: What else should Global Communities and other humanitarian organizations do to support conflict-affected people and contribute to long-term recovery efforts in Ukraine?

Oksana: It is crucial to start designing rehabilitation and reintegration services for war veterans, their families and communities receiving them. Many people fighting for our country are not military professionals. They are civilians conscripted to the army and sent to the battlefields on short notice. They will need a lot of support, including psychological counseling, before they can resume normal lives. We should be already working with families and communities to prepare for their return.

Paula: Do you have any final thoughts you would like to share?

Oksana: I would like to call attention to the fact that we are facing a significant shortage of professionals specializing in protection and psychosocial support in Ukraine. Many specialists have left the country and others are compelled to wear multiple hats at different humanitarian organizations across Ukraine. This can easily lead to burnout. We are all working under very difficult circumstances, and we are exposed to vicarious trauma in addition to our own. I encourage the international and donor communities to pay attention to this important issue and help those who are helping others.

Paula: Thank you for your time! How can our audiences learn more about your work?

Oksana: To learn more about Global Communities’ work in Ukraine please visit our website and read our recent story Art Therapy for Ukrainian Children Helps Reduce Stress Under Everyday Shelling. If you have questions about our programs, please email us at [email protected]. 

Oksana Mykhailenko

Oksana Mykhailenko is a Protection and GBV Prevention Manager with Global Communities’ CLEAR program in Ukraine. She started her professional career as a school psychologist. Three years later, she became the head of the new psychological service at educational institutions in Nova Kakhovka and continued to work in this capacity for 15 years. In 2006, Oksana co-created a youth NGO and later became an expert in GBV prevention, gender equality and peace building. In her capacity as a GBV expert trainer, Oksana worked with UNFPA, UNDP, IREX, ILO, NDI, Successful Woman Kherson Oblast Center, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund and the National Police of Ukraine.

Global Communities is home to a diverse team of professionals with a broad range of expertise and perspectives that help us build the world we envision: one of expanded opportunity, where crises give way to resilience and all people thrive. In our “Pass the Mic” series, our global staff share innovative ideas and in-depth insights on timely topics spanning the development, humanitarian and peace nexus. Learn how our colleagues are co-creating a more just, prosperous and equitable global community.

The post Supporting War-Affected People in Ukraine: Insights from Our Protection Manager appeared first on Global Communities.

In March 2022, Anna was heading from Kharkiv, Ukraine, to the western part of the country, fleeing the war with no idea where she and her family would find shelter. Today, she is a volunteer with the Ukrainian People’s House (UND) in Chernivtsi, one of seven civil society organizations in the region that has partnered with Global Communities under the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA), CLEAR is addressing the urgent protection, shelter & settlements, and water, sanitation and hygiene needs of 22,580 people who have been affected by the war in Ukraine. As part of the program, UND handles distribution and psychosocial support sessions for individuals who have been displaced by the war in four communities of the Chernivtsi region: Velykokuchurivska, Nedoboivska, Storozhynetska and Chernivetska.

When Anna and her husband, son and in-laws first arrived in the Storozhynetska community in Chernivtsi, local residents provided them with a house, food and other essentials they had been forced to leave behind. After some time, Anna then learned about the CLEAR program and received bed linens, kitchen supplies and cash to buy firewood, a heating system and other items to support her family through winter.

During the registration process to collect this assistance, the UND team learned about Anna’s background as a middle school math teacher, passion for biology and working with plants.

“I love plants. Before the war started, I always brought sprouts of new plants from my trips,” she says. “Unfortunately, my home collection died when we were forced to leave our home.”

To help Anna feel more connected to her new community, UND invited her to provide a series of psychosocial support classes focused on nature for children who had been displaced by the war.

“It was a pleasure to join that activity with children, share my knowledge with them and dip my hands into soil again,” Anna says of the volunteer experience.

During the class, children learned about plants that were native to the region and their life cycles. Then, they had the opportunity to plant seeds of different garden greens and flowers and eagerly wait for them to sprout.

“All of us face difficulties, but like a sprout makes its way through the pavement, we must be strong.”

Anna, CLEAR program participant & UND volunteer

According to UND, classes like these help distract children from their worries and inner tension and, as a a result, reduce their anxiety. As they work with their hands, they tend to become more comfortable communicating and sharing their experiences. The activities also help them integrate into the communities where they now find themselves living.

Although Anna is currently focused on completing her Ph.D. thesis, she says she is considering the possibility of working as a schoolteacher again because of her volunteer work with the CLEAR program and UND. This is the first time she has visited the western part of Ukraine, and she is eager to learn more about the local people and nature. And while she is unsure of when she will be able to return to Kharkiv, she hopes to make the best of her time in Chernivtsi.

“My family is safe and sound. My husband and I have jobs. Our son studies online. We learn to live, work and make friends all over again, in a new reality,” she says. “The most important is not to isolate yourself. All of us face difficulties, but like a sprout makes its way through the pavement, we must be strong.”

The post Teacher Uprooted by War in Ukraine Helps Displaced Children Find Healing in Nature appeared first on Global Communities.

Chernihiv Oblast is among the top five regions of Ukraine most affected by Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022. Due to its proximity to the Russian border, many villages have experienced occupation firsthand and, thus, significant damage to their residential areas. To date, over 8,200 sites and facilities have been destroyed or damaged, including 202 educational institutions, 90 health and social protection institutions and more than 7,000 private homes.

A significant number of people in Chernihiv’s communities continue to live in damaged housing. Such is the case for the residents of Ivanivska, where multiple settlements experienced direct occupation by Russian troops during the first months of the war. According to local authorities, around 1,667 residential buildings were damaged in the community, of which 226 were completely destroyed.

Under the Community-Led Emergency Action and Response (CLEAR) program in Ukraine, funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID/BHA), Global Communities has been helping local people in four villages with housing repairs. Replacement of destroyed windows and doors started in December 2022 and will continue until December 2023, covering a total of 300 houses.

Liubov and her husband Olexander have endured three missile attacks in their neighborhood so far. The last one damaged a part of the house that the couple had just updated before the war started. Through CLEAR, the retirees – both former school employees – received assistance with replacing a broken window and two doors. Electricity was also restored to their residence. Now that the home is prepared for the coming winter, Liubov and Olexander said they have been able to focus their attention on activities that bring them a sense of calm and hope – her tending to their garden and him helping other neighbors rebuild.

Liudmyla lives on the same street as the couple and had to shelter next door during the first two months of attacks on Chernihiv Oblast. Her home suffered significant damage, but Global Communities is among several organizations and people who are assisting her with critical repairs. The gates, 10 windows, external and internal doors, roof, gas pipes, water pipes and electricity outlets in the house were all partly destroyed.

“Even the kettle has a bullet hole, but I still can pour a cup of water into it to make tea,” said Liudmyla, providing a stark reminder of how quickly life changed overnight after Russia’s invasion more than a year ago.

Regardless of the grief and loss each family has experienced on a personal level, the residents of Ivanivska keep expressing concern for those in the community they think have suffered even more.

“We still must repair the shed for pigs, but you better help those whose houses were completely destroyed. They’ve lost everything,” said Olena, a CLEAR program participant whose husband is on the front lines of the war in Ukraine while she cares for their three children.

As repairs continue on homes in Ivanivska and three other communities in Chernihiv, CLEAR Program Director Dubravka Latinac Pem said that technical staff are advising and working with local contractors to ensure everything meets program standards.

“We want to be sure that people get the best quality of repairs we provide,” she said. “They have to be prepared for the coming winter, because we are not sure what the situation with electricity and heating will look like in the coming months.”

The post Helping Families Piece Life, Homes Back Together in Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast appeared first on Global Communities.