Several aid organizations in Ukraine are currently busy providing assistance to people returning to formerly occupied areas of Russia. People who have fled are also trained as volunteers to provide aid in Ukraine and surrounding countries. Kees Zevenbergen, action chairman of Giro555, tells NU.nl on Thursday.
More than 168.9 million euros has been raised so far since Giro555 launched a special campaign for the victims of the war in Ukraine at the end of February. This is evident from new figures released by the organization on Thursday. At the beginning of April, when the standings were last reported, the counter stood at 160 million euros.
Eleven aid organizations and seven host organizations are united in Giro555, such as the Red Cross, the Refugee Foundation, Cordaid and UNICEF. At the start of the war in Ukraine, these organizations mainly provided immediate emergency aid to people in Ukraine and neighboring countries, such as Poland and Romania.
That immediate emergency aid is still being given, says Zevenbergen. But now help is also provided to people who travel back to their home.
“Ukrainians are retreating to areas occupied by Russia, such as the besieged city of Bucha and the western Ukrainian city of Irpin.” The cities have been destroyed and many basic necessities are no longer available, he says.
“That is why the Red Cross is, for example, busy repairing the water pipes in Bucha. That is important, because without water people cannot live.” Aid organization Cordaid supplies solar generators to devastated cities with the money from Giro555. So people have electricity again.
Also money to victims who help as a volunteer
In addition, the money collected is also used to train people who want to help with the work of the aid organizations themselves. Among them are also people who have fled themselves, says Zevenbergen.
“They learn, for example, how to deal with refugees with trauma or with people who are in a panic. The distinction between refugees and aid workers is becoming less and less clear.”
Zevenbergen acknowledges that the donations to Giro555 are declining. In the beginning, millions were collected per day, now a lot less. He does say that the action is still alive among many Dutch people.
‘No shortage of care providers’
“8 million euros in more than a month is not as much as was raised in the beginning, but it is still a lot of money. People are still donating and there are still several actions throughout the country this summer.” It was expected, according to him, that the donations are less than in the beginning.
When asked how long aid can continue in Ukraine, Zevenbergen gives a clear answer. “At the moment there are means to keep it going for at least a few more months in the way that all organizations work now.”
It is not the fault of the volunteers in the countries where aid is provided. “Because refugees who have fled now also help as volunteers, there is no shortage of aid workers.”