ERIKS Development Partner’s Ukraine response
ERIKS Development Partner’s interventions in, and around, Ukraine continues to focus on the situation of the children and the specific protection needs that arise in flight from war. ERIKS does both direct, life-saving efforts, but also invests, already now, in projects that help over time and that have long-term results. Housing/shelter, social assistance, integration, the right to health care, schooling, employment and psychosocial support are some of the efforts currently ongoing in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.
ERIKS has been operating in Ukraine’s neighboring countries, Romania and Moldova, for many years – with a regional office in Romania. ERIKS staff on site are now working together with partner organizations and other actors in coordinating the response efforts, both inside Ukraine and in support to the families coming across the border from Ukraine.
In Ukraine, ERIKS aims to help and support the children and families who are affected by the war and are forced to seek refuge in shelters or live as internally displaced persons. Erikshjälpen’s partners on site in the country work to provide the vulnerable with food, water, blankets, clothes and other necessities. Erikshjälpen also pays for psychosocial support and social assistance for affected people – directly on site but also via telephone and internet.
In Moldova, ERIKS assists with psychosocial support and safe child-friendly activities at reception centers for Ukrainian refugees. It is reported that many minors cross the borders without parents or other guardians, and without documentation. One of ERIKS’ partner organizations has started a project for safe and secure registration of these children, in cooperation with local authorities and social assistance.
In Romania, ERIKS focuses on social assistance for children and families crossing the border, and the partner has also initiated cooperation with organizations specializing in translation, in this case into Ukrainian and Russian. In collaboration with NetOnNet in Sweden, ERIKS and the partner can provide several reception centers in Romania with chargers for mobile phones – something that many of those who have fled forgot but is necessary in order to keep in touch with fathers, brothers, family and friends who remain in Ukraine.
ERIKS also supports Human Bridge, a sister organization which in recent weeks has sent as many as five shipments directly into Ukraine with medical supplies – which it is now an acute shortage of in the country.
For mor information contact:
Cezar Gavriliuc
Regional Manager Eastern Europe