How do NGOs provide support to Ukraine?
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Poland joined efforts to aid Ukraine on the day Russia initiated its brutal invasion of the country. Since February 24, the Polish society has initiated a massive campaign aimed at helping Ukrainians, both refugees and those who remained in the war-torn homeland.
It is crucial to note that this altruistic assistance was entirely grassroots, i.e. originated from the community level – everyone did what they could. Countless Poles opened their homes and welcomed strangers who had lost whatever they had as a result of the war. Many dropped everything to go to the border and assist refugees, engaging in material and financial fundraising for war-affected Ukraine.
The role that non-governmental organizations play in these key efforts is invaluable. From the very first days, they actively participated and coordinated assistance. Their actions were extensive, including:
- • Organizing public fundraisers,
- • Providing shelter for refugees,
- • Offering ongoing assistance at border crossings and train stations,
- • Providing legal aid and psychological support
- • Assisting animals affected by the conflict.
All these initiatives demonstrate the strength, competence, and dedication of Polish NGOs. They have long been working to support and contribute to the development and improvement of society, hence in times of crisis, they rise to the occasion. Similarly, the people who fervently rushed to support those from Ukraine demonstrated great compassion and solidarity.
This project focuses on the topic of assistance provided by Polish NGOs to Ukraine. Its main goals are to document the relief actions by preparing a comprehensive report and to publicize these efforts in international media.
The primary goals of the project involve documenting the aid actions to ensure they are not forgotten – this will be done by preparing a report. Over a year since the outbreak of the war, it has become increasingly challenging to find such information. While individual organizations have certain details on their websites, a comprehensive overview of the scale of actions by Polish NGOs is lacking. The absence of such publications will make it even more difficult in the future to find information on how Poland assisted Ukraine – a matter of great importance.
The second major goal of the project is to build a positive image of Poland on the international stage by disseminating data and findings from the previously prepared report. We believe it is essential to showcase and highlight the scale of these efforts, as it was a massive humanitarian initiative, and Poland is one of the leaders in helping Ukraine.
Apart from the report, have created a relevant website in Polish, English, and Ukrainian, a promotional video, and we have carried out an extensive international promotional campaign.