One year of war in Ukraine: How the Red Cross is helping скачать в хорошем качестве

One year of war in Ukraine: How the Red Cross is helping

It has been one year since escalation of the conflict in Ukraine began and in that time, thousands of civilians have either been killed, injured or displaced. Nearly 8 million people - mostly women and children - have escaped, leaving everything behind, with more continuing to flee Ukraine every single day. Frequent power outages have made the winter temperatures unbearable and add another layer of danger. There is no end to the conflict in sight one year since it began, and the damage to infrastructure, ranging from homes to schools, hospitals and roads, is so great it will take years, if not decades, to rebuild. More than 2,500 educational facilities and 700 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed. The American Red Cross and the global Red Cross Red Crescent network have worked around the clock to deliver aid and address the needs of people affected by this devastating crisis. As the conflict continues, the global Red Cross Red Crescent network is committed to providing long-term support to individuals and families suffering from the traumatic effects of ongoing violence and displacement. Teams have provided essential humanitarian aid items; health care services, including mental health services; emergency cash and voucher assistance; water and sanitation services; as well as assistance with voluntary evacuations from conflict-ravaged communities. Many of the people who have fled their homes are unsure what to do next. The numbers are staggering— nearly 6 million people are displaced inside Ukraine. The residual effects of the fighting—including mental health challenges, wage losses and family separation—have impacts both on those who remain and those who have fled. The American Red Cross has deployed 28 international crisis responders to Moldova, Hungary, Poland, and Romania to support the international Red Cross operation helping families like Maryna’s. These highly trained crisis responders — who are lending expertise in areas such as cash assistance programming— are assisting on-the-ground relief efforts alongside local teams. As one of the technical leads for cash assistance programs within the Red Cross network, the American Red Cross has played a critical role developing a multi-country cash assistance program which has granted people displaced by this crisis with cash as they settle into their new lives in other countries. American Red Crosser Kanhong Lin, currently based in Hungary, designed an app that allows displaced Ukrainians to apply for Red Cross cash assistance from their cell phones. Previously, people needing cash assistance would need to make an appointment and go to a Red Cross office. The app makes the process much more seamless and convenient for those who have access to smart phones, which most Ukrainians do. Cash assistance also gives beneficiaries a sense of control as they can decide how to best spend it, protecting their human dignity. It’s one of the few decisions they can be in control of in the middle of fleeing from conflict, according to Lin. Beneficiaries have been able to apply in two rounds so far, one when the conflict first began and most recently at the start of winter. American donations have contributed to some 1.2 million people through the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) cash assistance program. The global Red Cross network has provided nearly $216 million in cash assistance. The global Red Cross network has provided basic assistance to more than 14 million people and provided health services and interventions to more than 1.1 million people. Red Cross teams have also assisted more than 1.8 million people with access to emergency shelter and helped more than 800,000 people with migration support. The global Red Cross network also has improved access to water for nearly 11 million people in Ukraine. Bringing much-needed aid to people affected by this destructive conflict is a team effort, and the American Red Cross is working in close collaboration with partners in the global Red Cross Red Crescent network and other organizations to get help where it is needed most. Learn more at https://redcross.org/ukraine