Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal passes £13 million mark in Wales

Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Cymru has announced its Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has now raised over £13 million in Wales.

The appeal was launched on 3 March to help people fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has raised over £350 million across the UK so far.

The £13.3 million total for Wales includes a £4 million donation from the Welsh Government while at UK level £350 million includes £25 million of match funding from the UK Government.

DEC Cymru Chair, Melanie Simmonds said: “Since we launched this appeal in March we’ve been inspired and humbled to see this outstanding wave of solidarity from the Welsh public towards the people of Ukraine.

“We’ve seen such generous giving from families, schools, community groups, faith groups and individuals across the country, as well as the business, arts and cultural sectors. Thank you.

“With aid delivery now well underway, I’d also like to recognise the incredible contribution of the aid workers and volunteers in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

“So many are selflessly putting their needs aside to help others to cope with this devastating conflict.”

Food

DEC charities have so far budgeted £74.5 million to spend over the first six months an expected three-year humanitarian response. 16% of these funds are being used to provide people with food.

DEC member charity CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Overseas Development) is supporting a mass food distribution project, through funding a local partner Depaul Ukraine and has already supplied regular food baskets to 21,000 people, which cost £10 each and last five days.

As part of this, a team of cycle couriers are delivering food to elderly and people with disabilities, and those who struggle to leave their homes, reaching 700 people in this way. This is just one example of the innovative ways DEC funds are supporting local people to get aid to where it is most needed.

Father Vitaliy, from Depaul Ukraine, who is leading the cycling initiative in Kharkiv, said: “The humanitarian crisis in this part of the city is huge. What I do see is that the poor people of Ukraine are now much poorer.

“In these three months we have been feeding more than 21,000 people from around Ukraine. We are focusing on those who are not able to move because of their physical health.

“We now have a big problem with petrol, but our work to distribute aid will never stop because of human energy.

“There are so many young people who want to help others and together they started this great initiative.

“One of the co-ordinators saw how her friend was paralysed and needed someone to bring him food.  Her friend offered to deliver food to him on his bicycle – it was 30 kilometres away – and an idea was born. “