Three years after the start of the large-scale expansion of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the social and humanitarian situation remains catastrophic. Children, young people, and adults suffer from constant Russian attacks, bombings, destruction, fear, and death. Fleeing from attacks, hunger, and terror still define the daily lives of many families; hundreds of thousands of children are traumatized by constant stress and enormous hardship. At the same time, we are witnessing how the people of Ukraine continue to resist the attacks and organize their daily lives despite all adversity.
Over the past three years, Terre des Hommes has supported a total of 78 projects in Ukraine, as well as for refugees in Germany and other neighboring countries, with €22.5 million. "One focus is psychosocial support for children affected by war and their families. Therapists work with children who are severely frightened by the bombings, have lost close relatives, or are worried about family members on the front lines. Of the 19,546 children abducted to Russia, 388 have been repatriated; they, in particular, need special psychological support to cope with their traumatic experiences in the re-education camps," says Joshua Hofert, spokesperson for the board of Terre des Hommes . "In addition, we provide direct humanitarian aid in the form of food, medicine, and other urgently needed supplies. Youth centers also play a crucial role in our projects, as became clear to me during my visit. There, young people can meet and talk about their experiences, hopes, and aspirations. In the projects we support, we repeatedly witness how courageous and resilient the children are."
As in all its projects worldwide Terre des Hommes also works with civil society partner organizations in Ukraine. "We consider it essential to involve representatives of these civil society organizations in the planned international negotiations on the future of Ukraine. Decisions cannot be made over the heads of the people of Ukraine. Moreover, looking at other ended wars shows that the participation of civil society in peace processes often leads to more sustainable peace," says Joshua Hofert.
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Questions and interviews with our Ukrainian partner organization CAMZ in German are possible.