Helping the Ukrainian People - Irish Red Cross

Helping the Ukrainian People - Irish Red Cross

During the month of March, VITHIT is going to donate our online sales proceeds to help alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian people, during this very hard time in their lives. With this in mind, we have chosen the Red Cross for their outstanding work in alleviating human suffering for the past 150 years.

When you're buying your favourite VITHIT through our website, you're directly supporting the creation of the fund that will be sent  to the Irish Red Cross special Ukrainian Fund at the end of March.

We also encourage you to make a direct donation to the Irish Red Cross to support the families and individuals affected by this conflict. 

The VITHIT Team, 7th of March 2022

Ukrainian Situation Overview (Official Red Cross Report) - 2nd of March:

On 24 February, the armed conflict in Ukraine entered a new phase with the intensification and spread of the hostilities causing major concern for the protection of civilians and essential civilian infrastructure. 

Heavy fighting and shelling continues across several towns and cities in Ukraine, with increasing human cost and humanitarian consequences. This comes after months of rising political and military tensions and eight years of conflict in and around Eastern Ukraine where an estimated 2.9 million people are already in need of humanitarian assistance and 1.4 million were internally displaced. 

This fluid and rapidly evolving situation, combined with severe security constraints impeding Red Cross teams on the ground, has made it extremely difficult for the Red Cross to fully assess the humanitarian consequences of the conflict.  However, the needs are expected to be massive and to affect all regions of Ukraine, neighbouring countries and beyond. 

Current estimates and scenarios indicate that as many as five million people may be displaced as the situation evolves, with many more impacted, including those already in need and displaced in Eastern Ukraine at the onset of the ongoing escalation

In many of these contexts, The Red Cross is the only organisation with official access and is presently the only actor that can deliver humanitarian assistance at scale.

 

Red Cross Action in Ukraine 

In the initial phase of response efforts, the Red Cross is working to deliver relief supplies to meet the immediate humanitarian needs and are supporting with treating wounded and with evacuations.

  • Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) – over 30,000 people have been assisted with URCS emergency stock. Trained Emergency Response volunteers (ERT) have been activated and are supporting fire brigades and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) responding to damage to civilian residences and infrastructure; ERTs have so far saved over 50 lives.
  • URCS staff and volunteers are helping people to relocate to safer areas. 
  • Over 2,000 people have received first aid training conducted in shelters and online since the beginning of the conflict. 
  • URCS branches are coordinating with local authorities to provide assistance to internally displaced people, many of whom will not or cannot cross the border into a neighbouring country. 
  • Reception centres are being established in schools and other community buildings to accommodate a growing number of displaced people. URCS is receiving offers of assistance to support people queuing at the border. 
  • With URCS and Movement partners the ICRC works closely with communities to respond to their existing and growing humanitarian needs generated by long years of conflict, to support increased resilience, and to deliver urgent assistance – food, water, fuel for heating, medical supplies, and support for housing. 
  • The ICRC is working to support efforts to restore the water supply including the distribution of water by tankers for the affected communities. 

Red Cross Action Outside of Ukraine

Red Cross National Societies in all neighbouring countries (Belarus, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia and Slovakia) are urgently responding to the unfolding crisis. Thousands of volunteers and staff have been mobilised to help people arriving from Ukraine. Temporary accommodation has been set up along the borders to offer shelter or respite for the night. 

Red Cross volunteers are distributing food, water, bedding, clothes and basic aid items on both sides of the border and are providing medical care and psychosocial support for those in need. They’re also handing out SIM cards, so that people can stay in touch with their loved ones. 

  • Polish Red Cross: It is estimated that 200,000 people have by now arrived in the country. There is a large demand for support of people waiting in queues and establishment of points to help people wait (tents, providing food etc) is badly needed at these border crossings.
  • Russian Red Cross: With help from 1,000 volunteers more than 47 tonnes of humanitarian aid has been collected, including clothes, hygiene sets, blankets and household items. These goods are being distributed to more than 18,000 people staying in temporary accommodation centres in Rostov and other regions. 
  • Hungarian Red Cross: is operating at four border crossings and is conducting rapid needs assessments in border regions; they have established first aid points and are providing emergency food provisions in government-ran shelters.
  • Romanian Red Cross: Crisis cell is operating since 25 February, border branches have started activation of action plans, all branches are on standby to assist border regions. Logistical equipment and shelter kits has been sent from Romanian RC HQ to the Siret border station in the Suceava region of North-Eastern Romania, estimated to be the primary entry point of refugees. Volunteers across all border-branches are currently distributing food items, water, non-food items, hygiene products and communication equipment. 
  • Red Cross Moldova: has opened a shelter for 800 people. Volunteers are distributing food and hygiene items. 

Red Cross Appeal: We need your Help.

The Irish Red Cross is currently receiving donations in support of the ongoing Ukraine Crisis Appeal.  To date this fund has received over 70,000 donations totalling more than €3.5 million.  

If you would like to learn more about the Ukraine Crisis Appeal and how the IRC is supporting the people of Ukraine, contact Charlie Lamson, IRC Head of Fundraising @ 083 104 6900 / clamson@redcross.ie 

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