Projects

Short Description:

Overall goal

To contribute to sustaining and safeguarding the lives of vulnerable populations and internally displaced Ukrainians in conflict-affected communities in Donetsk and Luhansk regions through sustainable recovery and resilience measures. The specific objectives are: 1) Vulnerable conflict-affected households along the contact line in non-government controlled areas (NGCA) are able to secure their basic needs and sustain their lives; 2) Vulnerable conflict-affected households along the contact line in government-controlled areas (GCA) have improved their health and resilience amid COVID-19 and recovered their livelihoods towards increased sustainability.

Expected results

The proposed project will directly support 12,820 beneficiaries:

1.1 At least 1,440 vulnerable households of internally displaced People (IDPs) and host population in NGCA have improved living conditions through winterization support and hygiene assistance;

2.1. At least 300 highly vulnerable people with special needs in GCA have improved their hygiene conditions through the provision of hygiene kits, 150 of whom have additionally improved their physical health through the provision of homecare Services;

2.2. At least 240 vulnerable people (including 150 highly vulnerable people with special needs who receive homecare services) benefit from improved psychosocial well-being;

2.3. At least 480 people in 6 target settlements benefit from improved community cooperation to support their resilience towards the effects of the ongoing conflict and the Covid-19 pandemic;

2.4. At least 9.000 people in 6 target settlements in GCA, especially women and elderly, have increased awareness about Covid-19 related risks and prevention measures, 1.200 of whom have decreased vulnerability against the pandemic by obtaining PPE kits;

2.5 At least 60 residents of IDPs and host population have improved capacity to start and re-start businesses, 30 of whom engage in income generating activities based on increased knowledge, skills and business grants;

2.6. At least 45 staff of implementing partner organisations operating in GCA or NGCA have increased capacity to implement interventions that mainstream gender and protection and follow a community development approach.

Target group / Beneficiaries

The target group comprises 12,820 individual unique beneficiaries (7,858 women, 4,962 men) living close to the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk in government-controlled (GCA) and non-government controlled areas (NGCA). Indirectly, 1,382 indirect individuals living close to the contact line in GCA will benefit from the project activities.

Caritas Austria implements this project together with Caritas Ukraine; Project Locations are regions in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts along the contact line in the Government and Non-Government Controlled Areas.

Activities

Procurement and distribution of heating material to 640 HHs and hygiene kits to 800 households; provision of homecare services to 150 elderly with special needs in NGCA, including immobile, through Cash for Work workers; distribution of 900 hygiene kits for 300 elderly (including 150 homecare beneficiaries) in GCA; provision of psycho-social support for 240 people (including 150 homecare beneficiaries; facilitation of self-help and community support group for increased cohesion, solidarity and self-advocacy; distribution of Covid-19 and gender-based violence information leaflets to 9,000 people; distribution of 1,200 personal protective equipment kits to elderly people; provision of business skills training for at least 60 people; provision of business grants for at least 30 people; 3 training sessions on Gender, Protection Principles and community development for staff.

Context

In its seventh year, the armed conflict in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in eastern Ukraine continues to have a devastating effect on people. 3,4 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance and protection. The Covid-19 pandemic has been further aggravating humanitarian needs, particularly for people living in rural areas close to the contact line and most notably elderly, who lost access to humanitarian assistance and social payments due to travel-restrictions. The affected population is unable to cover its basic needs amid rising prices, and resort to negative coping strategies. With overlapping vulnerabilities and multiple needs, the protracted crisis in Ukraine requires a multisector approach that links the alleviation of immediate basic needs with measures that increase resilience and promote recovery at community level.