Ukraine Conflict Appeal

Please donate now to our Ukraine Conflict Appeal

After a slow build up, the Russian Federation launched a military offensive in Ukraine on 24th February 2022, resulting in severe deterioration of the security situation.

Armed violence quickly escalated in at least eight oblasts, including the capital city of Kyiv, as well as in the eastern oblasts of Donetska and Luhanska which were already affected by conflict. 

The intense military escalation has resulted in loss of life, injuries and mass movement of the civilian population throughout the country and to neighbouring countries, as well as severe destruction and damage to infrastructure and residential housing. Martial law has been invoked, allowing authorities to impose restrictions on movement; male Ukrainians 16 – 80 are prevented from leaving the country. All civil defence, civilian protection bodies and law enforcement entities are engaged in active armed conflict. 

Public service provision – water, electricity, heating and emergency health and social services – is under severe pressure, and people’s access to health care is limited by insecurity. Primary services such as banking, social transfers and transport have been impacted, as have basic services, such as health, water, electricity and local administration. With the continuation of the military operation and mounting insecurity, supply chains are likely to be disrupted for a prolonged period. The ability of local authorities to sustain a minimum level of services has also been severely hampered, as employees have been displaced or can no longer access their workplace.

The expansion of the conflict is projected to deepen and expand humanitarian needs among millions of Ukrainians and exacerbate human suffering. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates that over the course of the next three months, up to 6.7 million persons may be displaced inside Ukraine, it is projected 18 million people will be affected and 12 million people are expected to need humanitarian assistance.

The extensive violence immediately sparked a massive movement of people towards the borders. By 6th March 2022, more than 1.7 million refugees have fled Ukraine to the neighbouring countries of Poland (1,028,000), Hungary (180,000) Slovakia (128,000), Moldova (83,000) Romania (79,000), the Russian Federation (53,000) and other European countries (184,000), according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data. It has been reported that UNHCR is planning for up to 4 million refugees in the coming weeks. At this rate, the situation is set to become Europe’s largest refugee crisis of this century.

The remaining population, even those currently not directly affected by security incidents and fighting, are facing reduced or disrupted services, with water, heating, electricity supply as well as transportation and telecommunications badly affected. Health services – already massively weakened by the cumulative effects of years of conflict as well as the multiple waves of COVID-19 – have also deteriorated rapidly due to shortages of medical supplies and personnel relative to the current scale of needs. Access to emergency medical services, including reproductive health services, has become even more challenging amid insecurity.

Primary needs are emerging in terms of security, relocation and in the destination areas: establishment of structures for the acceptance of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), including supply of shelter, water and sanitation- and hygiene (WASH) entities, food, non-food items (NFIs), health-, protection- and psycho-social services.

As a member of ACT Alliance, (a global faith-based coalition of organisations in more than 135 countries), all funds donated to AOA will be programmed through Europe Forum member, Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Ukraine and in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania to support Ukrainian refugees.

LWF have identified community engagement, shelter, non-food items, food, advocacy, mental health and psychosocial support as priority areas for intervention and assistance.

We greatly appreciate your generosity and support.

Please remember the people of Ukraine and those supporting them in neighbouring countries, in your prayers.

Thank you so much again for your support of Anglican Overseas Aid.

To donate to our Ukraine Conflict Appeal, please click on the ‘Please Donate’ button below (choose ’01A. Ukraine Conflict Appeal’ from the ‘Donation’ drop-down menu) or call us on 1800 249 880.

Alternatively, you can send a cheque/money order made payable to Anglican Overseas Aid to:

Anglican Overseas Aid
Ukraine Conflict Appeal
P.O. Box 389
Abbotsford, VIC 3067