News: Update on Ukraine

Since the start of the Ukraine crisis in February 2022, more than six million Ukrainian refugees have fled their homes and sought refuge with family members and welcoming communities, and a further 17 million people have now been either directly or indirectly affected.

As the conflict has progressed, so too have the needs of the people impacted. Salvation Army officers, staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to meet the challenge of serving those affected by the crisis, with over 10,000 people having received shelter, and almost 200,000 people having received food parcels or cooked meals. Most initial programmes have focused on meeting the immediate needs of people who have fled to neighbouring countries, resulting in joint responses undertaken in 14 countries including Poland, Moldova, Hungry, Georgia and the UK.

Though the response differs in each country, the provision of cash vouchers has been common. This means of support aims to give recipients choice and dignity as they can decide for themselves which items to purchase such as food, hygiene products or clothing. To date The Salvation Army has provided over 43,000 vouchers to individuals and families. It has been an important element in helping refugees from Ukraine to settle into host communities across Europe and establish a sense of normality in their lives. As children start at new schools and the related costs of uniforms, stationery and language classes are incurred, the cash vouchers can help to ease the financial burden on families.

As time moves on, the response has moved towards addressing and supporting the longer-term needs of those affected. In the UK, for example, a corps has started a drop-in service where the local Ukrainian community and refugees can meet. In this safe space, people can share their experiences, gather local information and receive help in accessing other support services. This is a simply a snapshot of the work that is taking place in the UK and across Europe, and we are thankful for the generosity of donors who have helped to ensure such support is available.

As the response to the Ukraine crisis begins to shift to a longer-term approach, we continue to see new emergency situations arise. At the time of writing, floods in Pakistan have recently claimed the lives of more than 1,300 people, injured more than 12,700 and displaced more than 33 million. The Salvation Army in Pakistan has been quick to respond, working alongside the government and other non-governmental organisations to provide people with food and hygiene items.

If you would like to donate to The Salvation Army’s international emergency response work, please visit our website or scan the code at the back of the magazine.