How is CARE responding in Poland and Ukraine?
CARE has been responding to the Ukraine crisis since March 2022, opening offices in Poland and Ukraine to respond to the immediate and longer-term needs of people fleeing the conflict and those who stayed behind.
Together with our partners our programs have reached millions of people with protection and psychosocial support, cash assistance, food, water, sanitation and hygiene items, health services, education, shelter, and protection from gender-based violence.
CARE works with dozens of national non-governmental organizations in both countries. They are aware of the needs of the local population, have a good understanding of the situation, identify critical issues, act in accordance with the current legislation, and are flexible enough to implement rapid response projects. This enables CARE to respond promptly to emergency situations.
In Ukraine, CARE is developing its support programs in multiple places, from assisting with evacuations from the frontline areas to providing shelters for internally displaced persons, improving housing conditions, providing financial assistance and psychological and legal counselling.
In Poland, 90% of those who arrived at the outset of the conflict were women, children, and the elderly. CARE’s response in Poland has included housing, food and water, financial assistance, and work and education, employing Ukrainian teachers and keeping Ukrainian children in school.
CARE’s work will continue in these areas to support those who have lived through two years of conflict and loss, but whose desire to return to normalcy and will to survive has not diminished.