Since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, hundreds of thousands of people have left their homes and crossed borders in search of safety and peace.
AVSI immediately stepped up to help them.
We have been working in Ukraine since 2014 and thanks to our collaboration with the local organization Emmaus, we have maintained close ties with the Ukrainian people over the years.
For this reason, since the outbreak of the conflict, AVSI immediately organized emergency response actions in the border areas: in Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Moldova.
In Italy, since the first days of March, we are implementing projects aimed at guaranteeing first reception activities and integration for the Ukrainian refugees, with special attention to educational inclusion for children.
The conflict is causing an increasing number of civilian casualties, destroying the means of livelihood, damaging critical infrastructure such as houses, water systems, schools and health facilities - it's killing hope.
We want to help the Ukrainians, but we need everyone's support.
AVSI has launched an urgent appeal: we need to #HelpUkraine now.
Donate now
Donate from Europe (fiscal benefits for European citizens)
Wire transfer to: FONDAZIONE AVSI: IBAN IT 22 T 02008 01603 000102945081
UNICREDIT SPA Fil. Milano Missori, Corso Italia 1 20122 MILANO
Swift code (BIC): UNCRITMM
Reason: “Ukraine Emergency”
Online donations (in Italian)
Donate from the US
Online donations (AVSI-USA)
How we will use your donation:
About forty days after the beginning of the conflict, a total of 40,876 people have already been helped, of which:
- 13,861 people in Romania
- 7,411 people in Poland
- 18,484 people in Ukraine
- 390 people in Moldova
- 730 people in Italy
Our main actions
Since February 24, we are carrying out and planning different actions, following a flexible, multi-sector approach that we can adapt to the ongoing crisis and to the most urgent reported needs:
- Supply and transportation of goods, within Poland and from Poland to Ukraine: lifesaving food and non-food items, distribution of personal hygiene kits and COVID-19 protection kits;
- Therapy and recovery services for children, including children with disabilities;
- Support for the transportation of displaced persons from the border to transit and reception centers;
- Support for the coordination of volunteers involved in first reception operations;
- Support to the census and registration of families present in reception centers to ensure traceability and personalized support;
- Support of people with special needs: identification, accompaniment and referral of people with special needs or particular vulnerabilities, for personalized assistance (women, separated or unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities);
- Setting up of child-friendly spaces within the temporary and short/medium-term reception centers for Ukrainian refugees;
- Translation services and information for orientation and integration;
- Organization of language courses to facilitate temporary/medium-term social integration for displaced persons in host countries;
- Cash for rent to host families in response to housing needs;
- Support to hosting families;
- Meal vouchers to be spent in the area of intervention;
- Psychosocial support and protection services;
- Cash transfer for host and internally displaced people;
- Job placement in hosting countries.
These actions are implemented thanks to a wide network of partners.
In Poland, AVSI is collaborating with AVSI Polska, in partnership with Caritas Lublin and the municipalities of Chelm and Wegrow.
In Romania we are working with Asociația FDP-Protagonists in educatie - and in partnership with the organizations Fara and KAIROS, as well as with the municipalities of Suceava and Galați.
In Lviv, Ukraine, we are in partnership with Caritas Lviv, while in Chernivtsi and Ivano Frankivsk the local association Emmaus is working together with the Good People Of Bukovina, Special Among Us (Sau) and IBO (its Italian partner).
In Moldova, AVSI is in collaboration with Fundatia Regina Pacis (an association of the Diocese of Chisinau).
In Italy
On March 16th, an information point was activated in order to respond to the numerous requests of refugees arriving from Ukraine and to coordinate the accomodation offers by Italian families. It was created by a network of organizations and it will be run by AVSI together with Associazione Famiglie per l'Accoglienza, Associazione San Martino, Fondazione Franco Verga, Associazione I Bambini dell'Est, the Ukrainian NGO Emmaus, and Medici in Famiglia Impresa Sociale. Find out more about the Info Point #HelpUkraine >
Specifically, AVSI is working to provide:
- Information and support service in the process of reception and integration of Ukrainian families with host communities
- Help desk for documentation matters, to provide information/guidance/assistance
- Matching between the availability of accommodation in families and the accommodation needs of refugees
- Support to the daily needs of Ukrainian refugees, housed in families or apartments made available by private citizens; cash transfer is the preferred method to directly support the families in paying for food and non-food items, medical/pediatric visits, contribution to rent / utilities in the case of accommodation in apartments and not in families
- Psychological support for Ukrainian families, with particular attention to refugee women and minors, for the traumas caused by the conflict, flight, separation from their families and their country
- Support to refugee children and teenagers through educational activities for the inclusion of children in schools, group, educational, recreational, play and sports activities
- Carrying out of vocational orientation activities, language and vocational training courses for adults, in the perspective of a work integration
- Training, support and accompaniment to host families, in their relationship and daily life with Ukrainian refugees