Supporting Ukrainian children in Europe
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, over 5 million Ukrainians have fled to other European countries. Ukrainians seeking refuge in neighboring countries face many challenges. Global Fund for Children’s local partners in the region are helping Ukrainian families to find housing, enroll their children in school, and access health care and other services.
One of the many obstacles Ukrainian refugees face is accessing local services and resources such as safe housing, schools, and work permits so they can provide for their families. Our local partners are connecting refugees from Ukraine – including non-European refugees who were living in Ukraine when the war started and have faced discrimination as they seek safety – to local services.
GFC is providing immediate and long-term flexible funding to more than 45 local partners in neighboring countries like Italy, Moldova, and Romania that are working directly with Ukrainian refugees. This support enables GFC partners to connect Ukrainian refugees to local services, provide legal aid and vocational training, and ensure that children have access to education and psychosocial support.
[image_caption caption=”Young people painting at the Informal Education Center Diversity youth center. © Informal Education Center Diversity” float=””]
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You can help our partners meet the growing needs of Ukrainian refugees.
- $10 can provide meals and refreshments for five children at a refugee settlement center
- $20 can connect children to foreign language tutors to prepare them to attend their new schools
- $50 can connect a family to psychosocial therapy services with a social worker
- $70 can provide supplies for a weekly art therapy workshop for children and young people
- $100 can cover legal assistance to refugee families navigating the laws and visa requirements of their new country
- $200 can provide seasonally appropriate clothing for five newly arrived families
- $750 can provide therapy to a group of children and youth experiencing PTSD and other trauma-related stressors
[image_caption caption=”Children play a game of Twister outside. © Informal Education Center Diversity” float=””]
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Families have been torn apart, with most Ukrainian men aged 18-60 banned from leaving the country. Access to psychosocial care is crucial during this difficult time and will allow children and their families to work through the trauma of living through a war. Helping children enroll and succeed in school and providing parents with vocational training will help displaced families to thrive.
Learn how GFC is supporting children affected by the war in Ukraine, donate to our Ukraine Emergency Response Fund, and help displaced Ukrainian children through our GlobalGiving project.