Linking humanitarian aid and development

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has destroyed communities and put millions of lives in danger. The SDC, which has been active in this vast country for several decades, was able to react quickly to the crisis. It helped Humanitarian Aid meet pressing needs and, thanks to its flexibility, adapted the projects already under way before the war broke out.

Destroyed school in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson at the end of October 2022 following the withdrawal of Russian troops. © Ivor Prickett/NYT/Redux/laif

It was the night when everything turned upside down: on 24 February 2022, the Ukrainian people were startled from their sleep by Russian bombs. The first explosions ripped through the sky over Kyiv at 4.30am. Russia's war of aggression against its neighbour had begun.

Switzerland has been involved in international cooperation activities in Ukraine since the 1990s and is able to provide rapid humanitarian aid on the ground. Its long-standing contacts, ongoing projects and existing resources have enabled it to meet urgent and rapidly growing needs. Switzerland has supplied more than 680 tonnes of aid since the war broke out: "Tents for use as emergency shelters, medicines, hospital beds, wheelchairs and firefighting vehicles," says Eileen Hofstetter, a senior advisor on humanitarian aid at the Swiss embassy in Ukraine. In addition, 4,750 tonnes of food were purchased locally last March and April in order to support the local economy and help the population.

A truly marathon task

The annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the war in eastern Ukraine left many people deeply traumatised. The demand for psychological support was high, and is even higher today. Thanks to its Mental Health for Ukraine project, which supported the reform of mental health services in Ukraine and helped train people working in this area, the SDC was able to draw on its extensive network to quickly build emergency capacities and activate mobile response teams. Since the start of the war on 24 February 2022, psychological support has been provided to internally displaced persons at railway stations and in emergency shelters and hospitals in many regions. "Following a consultation to clarify their needs, they are given therapy sessions and, if necessary, medical treatment," explains Petro Ilkiv, a national programme officer at the Swiss embassy in Ukraine, adding "healing the trauma of war will be a truly marathon task in the coming years."

Online schools and summer camps

In accessible areas, experts from the Swiss Humanitarian Aid Unit are working to implement medium-term projects dealing with water, health and civil protection. These measures are based on and complement the existing cooperation programme. And past experience in the country has enabled Switzerland to show flexibility and creativity in adapting its international cooperation activities to the most urgent needs.

Until 24 February 2022, the Decentralisation for Improved Democratic Education (DECIDE) project had been promoting the decentralisation of the Ukrainian school system and investing in online learning. The SDC reacted as soon as the war broke out: schools and kindergartens were converted into emergency shelters. "We bought sheets, mattresses, pillows, blankets and sleeping mats in local shops," says project manager and governance expert Ilona Postemska.

In June, the DECIDE project organised summer clubs for displaced children in 13 safe locations. "Almost 7,000 children and 400 teachers took part. The aim was to make every child feel at home wherever they happened to be in Ukraine," explains Ilona Postemska, adding: "the summer clubs were about democracy and human rights education, but they also covered first aid and how to behave in mined areas. The children were also able to try out art therapy."

Versatile platform

Classes started up again after the summer holidays. Children who can't go to school work on the All-Ukrainian Online School platform, which was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic with financial support from Switzerland. Students in the fifth to ninth grades have access to video lessons, tests and learning materials in 18 subjects – from Ukrainian language and literature to mathematics, biology and art.

In addition to online lessons, the platform also enables tests to be taken and school documents and certificates to be scanned. It is used by hundreds of thousands of displaced children in Ukraine, as well as by refugees in 133 other countries, including Switzerland. The instructions for the portal have been translated into ten languages so that teachers abroad can assist their Ukrainian pupils.

The children also receive support through the E-Governance for Accountability and Participation (EGAP) project: an internally displaced person organises IT courses in Bar, a city in the Vinnytsia Oblast in the centre of the country, for which EGAP provides laptops, among other things. "We are pleased that the children here are being taught about digital culture, graphics and animation. They are excited to acquire new skills," says a happy Igor Stavniuk, Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Bar Municipal Council.

Emergency alerts and requests for compensation

Before the war, EGAP helped Ukrainian public authorities to digitalise their services in an attempt to promote citizen participation, transparency and efficiency. The platform was originally designed for petitions, online consultations and participatory budgeting, but now provides the population with emergency alerts about threats from the air or potentially explosive objects. Other services have been introduced: the provision of digital travel documents, the registration of internally displaced persons and the digitalisation of their health data, with the aim of ensuring continued access to public services.

In addition, a website has been launched on which Ukrainians who have suffered from Russian aggression can submit a request for compensation to the European Court of Human Rights. "Three million people have looked at the site, 7,600 have filled in the form," says Ilona Postemska.

These are just a few examples of dozens of projects that have been adapted to the new situation. Thanks to the SDC's long-standing engagement in Ukraine, it was and remains in a position to deliver rapid and extensive humanitarian aid, and has been able to adapt its cooperation programmes accordingly.

Action plan for winter

The harsh winter poses additional challenges for the Ukrainian people, who are already suffering from the effects of war. More than 30% of the country's energy infrastructure has been damaged. In many places, access to drinking water and electricity is no longer guaranteed, and telecommunications have been disrupted following targeted attacks by Russia. The towns and villages require additional aid to deal with this emergency situation. The Federal Council has made CHF 100 million available for the swift rehabilitation of the energy infrastructure. Switzerland is helping Ukrainian energy companies to finance energy sources and acquire much-needed spare parts. It is contributing to the repair of rail fastening systems (for the transport of heavy goods such as grain). And it is also providing food to the most vulnerable, and helping them to replace windows and insulate their homes.

Cash for displaced families

Thousands of Ukrainians have lost their jobs as a result of the Russian invasion. Many families have used up their savings and are barely able to make ends meet. That is why Switzerland's Humanitarian Aid is supporting a Caritas project which provides cash to particularly vulnerable internally displaced families. "The cash assistance enables families to support themselves with dignity. At the same time, it boosts the local economy," says Lukáš Voborský, director of Ukraine Crisis Response at Caritas Switzerland. As most foodstuffs and consumer goods are available, money is therefore pumped into the market. In addition to psychosocial support, the project also provides administrative assistance and brings immediate relief to many people every month.