Peremoha Grantee Series: Food for people living with disabilities in Lviv

 RPCV: Christina Taylor, Youth Development, 2017-2020

Ukrainian Partner: Natalia, Head of PR and Fundraising Department

Region: Lviv Oblast

With 10 years of war and the ongoing violence of the full-scale invasion that started February 24, 2022, Russia has caused a massive humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. About 30% of Ukrainians have been internally displaced.[1] Lviv region alone has welcomed about 400,000 people, 20,000 of whom are impaired or developed a disability as a result of the hostilities. The internally displaced are settling down in dorms, schools, and other government facilities reequipped to host refugees.

To cater to the basic needs of people with disabilities, Dzherelo Centre, a charity institution in Lviv, launched a comprehensive emergency response program. In the framework of this program, families with children living with disabilities can receive crisis services of social workers, specialized consultations of specialists, aid according to the identified acute needs of the child (e.g. hearing aids, wheelchairs, etc.), and humanitarian aid.

Ukraine RPCV Christina Taylor and her counterpart Natalia used Peremoha grant funding to provide humanitarian aid. Their project provided food items to 100 families of children with disabilities. Workers and staff of Dzherelo packed the food kits themselves after purchasing the groceries. Packaging materials were generously donated to the center by another benefactor.

One food kit included:

·       Tea—1 pack

·       Sugar—1 kg

·       Instant oatmeal—5 packs (5 portions)

·       Cereal bar—1 pcs

·       Breakfast cereals—2 packs

·       Canned goulash—1 can

·       Canned salmon with paprika—1 can

·       Cookies—2 packs

·       Halva with vanilla—1 pack

·       Crispbreads—1 pack

·       Instant noodles—1 pack

·       Chocolate spread—1 can

·       Instant coffee—1 pack

·       Children’s cocoa drink—1 pack

These packages helped families ease the financial burden of meeting their basic needs, since many have lost their main source of income. Dzherelo's psychologists are helping the families address their stress and trauma, while the center provides much needed social services for children with disabilities. These services will help sustain these families while they settle down in their new place of residence.

[1] https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/ukraine/#:~:text=One%20third%20of%20Ukraine's%20total,inside%20Ukraine%20with%20humanitarian%20assistance.