Supporting War-Displaced Families: a story of resilience and care

Our social support helps families who were forced to leave their homes due to the war. With individual care from 1,451 consultations in 2023, and in partnership with others, we enable stable homes where children can thrive. Our successes included helping families set up new housing, helping parents to find jobs, and supporting children’s enrolment in school or college.

Officially there are 3.6 million people in Ukraine who are registered as internally displaced (IDPs), but many estimate that there are actually 7 million. Many more children are living in poverty than before the war. UNICEF confirms what we have experienced, that sometimes vulnerable families are excluded from benefits they are entitled to and they need support (UNICEF, April 2023).

Elena, a mother who is displaced from Sloviansk, explains how our social care has helped:

“It was very valuable for me to have the support of your Social Worker to negotiate with the Lviv Vocational College of Tourism and enrol my youngest son Myroslav. After Myroslav enrolled, we could ask for our family to live together in the dormitory. Care in Action employees constantly supported and responded to our needs, they provided school supplies and food. They also helped with advice and information so we could get IDP certificates, ID cards and medical checks. I am very grateful for your help!”

Throughout 2023, Care in Action provided support to ensure access to basic needs such as housing, food, medical care, education and employment. In July we successfully closed the last of the shelters which we had first opened in March 2022 to focus on helping people find longer-term solutions. In the year:

• 1,451 individual Social Worker consultations were given. On average, 30 people a month used our help to access a wide range of services, aid and financial support.
• 5,000 items of clothing and 500 pairs of shoes were distributed to children and parents
• 100 food parcels, 50 toiletry kits and 30 sets of school supplies eased the burden on families’ budgets and ensured children were ready for school
• 50 “home starter kits” were given to families who moved out of our temporary shelters so they had bedding, kitchen utensils and other necessities for their new home

 

"When a person is in a crisis, in a strange environment and with no idea where to go, they need understanding and acceptance first of all. Social work with families who have been forced to leave their homes because of the war is not just about helping them find shelter, paperwork or financial support. Social work is about seeing the person first, and then their needs. Only in this way can we achieve successful integration of IDPs into new communities." Oksana Mishchenko, social worker at Care in Action

When we get to know displaced families, we often hear that the decision to leave home is extremely difficult. This was true for the Murashkin family, who arrived on an evacuation train from Nikopol, Dnipro. Mum Iryna, children Kyrylo and Kateryna and Grandmother Vira, tearfully told us about the constant shelling and days and nights in the basement they had experienced.

With support from Care in Action, the family received IDP certificates and government allowances. Iryna found a job but later faced a serious health issue requiring surgery. Thanks to teamwork and partnerships, funds were secured for her operation from the Danish Refugee Service. Iryna says the most important thing for them was feeling that they weren’t alone.

Kateryna was helped to enrol in a school where she could get the right level of support, and happily attends the activities at our Creative Hub, while Kyrylo is turning his passion for vehicle repair into a career through an internship. Thanks to a whole community of support, they have opportunities for growth and connection.

Our success in helping families to rebuild their lives is strengthened through cooperation with our valued partners, who have given aid, mental health services and much more. This includes: Szlachetna Paczka Lubaczów, Right to Protection, Caritas Lviv, YaMariupol, Estonian Refugee Council, Rokada, Danish Refugee Council, International Foundation for Health and Environment "Carpathian Region" NEEKA, Maltese Aid Service, Stefano Shoe Factory, SOS Children's Village Lviv and UNICEF. Government services for children, social protection and immigration are also reliable and effective partners.

We would like to thank every donor and partner, as every contribution plays a crucial role and multiplies our impact. Thank you for helping children and families!