An update on the emergency response in Ukraine

Click here to watch a video update from the ground from our Jesuit partner Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe. 

In just over a hundred days, close to 7 million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine.

Thanks to your support, our partner Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe remains on the ground 24/7 delivering vital services to people in need.

The Jesuit response to the Ukraine emergency continues to develop across Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia with the coordination of both Jesuit Refugee Service Europe and the Xavier Network.

According to the UN over 5.2 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance. 

The Jesuits have introduced a holistic global program which encompasses four dimensions of the emergency response:  

(a) Reception (“welcome”): providing temporary shelter, food and other essentials, transportation, and operation of call centres;

(b) Protection: providing safe shelter, legal assistance, psychosocial support, education, and health;

(c) Advocacy: addressing education and livelihood needs of refugees;

(d) Integration: helping reconciliation and awareness-raising through education, communication, advocacy, and accompaniment activities.

Many Ukrainian women who have fled to neighbouring countries with their children, have chosen to join the local JRS teams to support other Ukrainian families in desperate need.

Educational and recreational activities, such as art therapy and dance classes are supporting the mental and physical well-being of children.

“For years we have been suffering from social distancing, finally, with this crisis, we are all witnessing and experiencing the importance of social proximity."

Fr Marius Talos SJ, Director of JRS Romania.

Click here to watch a video update from the ground from our Jesuit partner Fr Alberto Ares SJ, Director of Jesuit Refugee Service Europe. 

If you'd like to donate to our Emergency Action Fund you can donate online now. Since 2020, our Emergency Action Fund has helped deliver immediate help and ongoing support to over 600,000 people around the world. We are so grateful for your ongoing support - with your help, we can continue to ensure urgent support is delivered where it’s needed most.