SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine

Children & youth

Jun 21

Who: SOS Children’s villages Ukraine

What: SOS progammes Ukriane

Where: Ukraine

Project period: 2023

Web: SOS Barnebyer Ukraina

Humanitarian Situation

Humanitarian needs are rising as the war in Ukraine continues to escalate, entering the second year of conflict. Since February 2022, 1,195 children have been killed or injured while millions have fled, been displaced from their homes, separated from their families or put at risk of violence. 6.5 million people, including 1.2 million children, are currently displaced within Ukraine. 8 million individual refugees from Ukraine are recorded across Europe where 90 percent are women and children. Altogether, 26 million people, including 7.1 million children, need assistance in Ukraine and in countries in Europe.

The emergency in Ukraine is complex and unpredictable, requiring a sustained and effective programme adaptation and response to the massive and changing needs. Alongside with a focus on providing immediate humanitarian aid, SOS Ukraine (SOS UA) is also planning how to ensure more long-term solutions in parts of the country where this is possible. Some of the immediate emergency support given such as temporary shelters, online education and short-term mental health services are not necessarily suitable and sufficient with a more long-term perspective. SOS UA will start looking at possibilities of developing structures, which have a long-term perspective, wherever it is possible. This can include developing alternative care solutions to offer alternatives to children in institutions, and family strengthening programs to avoid families splitting up.

SOS Ukraine Programmes

From being a relatively small child protection organization at the beginning of 2022 reaching 1,095 beneficiaries in 2 regions, since the war SOS Ukraine has grown to assisting almost 125,000 direct beneficiaries in 17 regions at the end of 2022. The organization has undergone a formidable and impressive change from being an organization targeting mainly foster families, to being a multisectoral organization working with SOS staff and through local partners to evacuate foster families facilitate access to health facilities; and provide emergency aid, cash assistance, social services, mental health services, education, and temporary shelters for IDPs.

SOS Ukraine Interventions in 2023

In 2023, SOS Children’s Villages will continue to scale up its humanitarian assistance and services to reach 172,250 people in Ukraine and 5,665 in Refugee Hosting Countries, with a total budget of EUR 33.6 million.

SOS Ukraine focuses its humanitarian action on child protection, applied holistically to multi-sectoral interventions for vulnerable families with children at risk of losing parental care. In addition, SOS UA is a locally rooted organisation with a long history in the country. Thus, it has its own pool of local experts, speaking both Russian and Ukrainian, who are best placed to understand the context, situation, and needs of vulnerable families and children. The two core programme pillars also make SOS UA stand out from other child-focused organisations in the country: (1) Case Managementcomprehensive support to children and families adapted to needs in emergencies, such as rehabilitation of injured children, psycho-social support for families, etc.; and (2) Family Strengthening in a humanitarian context- adapted to prevent family separation and children´s institutionalisation during the war.

SOS Ukraine Programmes

The programme response includes: the provision of critical supplies, services and support in the areas of child protection; promotion of food security and livelihoods, health, shelter and non-food items; and support for education in emergencies provided through humanitarian multipurpose cash assistance. In addition, SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine will strengthen the capacities of local partners who are providing mental health and psycho-social support (MHPSS) and case management needed for conflict-affected children and families.