JCI Help for Ukraine
Member
Joanna Mamczur
Local organization
JCI Wroclaw
National organization
Poland
Member
Joanna Mamczur
Duration
From February 25, 2022 to February 28, 2023
Target
Mobilize volunteers in Europe and globally to support Ukraine with supplies & finance and help Ukrainian refugees who evacuated from the war zones
Target population
30000
Target avg age
33
People impacted
20000
Sustainable Development Goal
Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Development stage
Education and Economic Empowerment
Purpose
- Support Ukraine with supplies & finance sent to Ukraine or distributed to the refugees who crossed the border.
- Help Ukrainian refugees who evacuated from the war zones with transit, accommodation, food, finding jobs and becoming a part of legal employment market in their new host countries. Support with assimilation in new societies
Overview
Due to the war outbreak in Ukraine over 3 million people crossed the Ukrainian border to evacuate from the danger and look for secure place to live and work in other countries. At the same time, about 40 million people still stayed in Ukraine, with limited access to supplies due to the disrupted supplies/ logistics chains, incl. production and regular commerce. As many residential areas, incl. hospitals and schools have been destroyed, the need for all types of supplies rose dramatically - with a particular focus on food, water, medications etc.
On the first day of war several JCI Europe countries gathered for a call with JCI Ukraine in order to see how we can support - as people in business who feel the social responsibility and urge to help. The countries participating in that call included the National Board representatives and volunteers from: JCI Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Turkey, Lithuania.
On the next day, the team of volunteers from JCI Poland worked on streamlining communication across Europe, a dedicated IT system for coordinating the supplies/ logistics process and opened several communication lines and groups to take in questions from the volunteers willing to help; one of these groups grew to about 200 people just within a few days, bringing together all countries of JCI Europe with the common goal to provide help.
On Sunday 27th February 2022 first international coordination calls have been held with participants - open Q&A fro volunteers and a closed coordinators call for the representatives of National Boards of JCI Europe countries.
Coordinators keep working together and also manage dedicated taskforces which address specific topics such as medical supplies, international online platform with job offers curated by the JCI network, logistics, direct transports into Ukraine (incl. members personally driving with the supplies to the borders or even accross the Ukrainian border, into war zone) etc.
We note strong presence and involvement of JCI Poland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Estonia, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Croatia, Turkey, Portugal, Finland, Austria, Japan, US as well as the ongoing support from all other JCI countries and of course strong example of leadership by action of JCI Ukraine
Pillars of the initiative:
- Support Ukraine with supplies & finance sent to Ukraine or distributed to the refugees who crossed the border.
- Help Ukrainian refugees who evacuated from the war zones with transit, accommodation, food, finding jobs and becoming a part of legal employment market in their new host countries. Support with assimilation in new societies
Results
The estimated number of volunteers mobilized - over 20000 and counting
Over 1000 people in Ukraine received medical financed from JCI donations
Over 300 tons of supplies of various kinds have been shipped and counting
_______
Summary from Maciej - volunteer from JCI Poland who drives into Ukraine on a regular basis to provide supplies:
"I personally delivered humanitarian aid to those in need in Ukraine. I was in Biała Cerkiew, Kiev, Borodzianka, Bucza, Irpień, Lviv. Every weekend I travel 2500-3000 km around Ukraine, transporting food, medicines, food for animals. Thanks to the cooperation with JCI Germany, we brought medical equipment and ultrasound to the hospital. Among my friends, I collect money for weekly car repairs and fuel. We see death, hunger and despair with our own eyes. We try to help all the time. but we are running out of money and things that we can deliver to them. In some places where I have been, people don't even have drinking water. and they buried the deceased family members in a garden or park, because during the occupation they had no other option."
Recommendations
Keep going, keep involving JCI members across Europe and other continents. The help for Ukraine and refugees is needed long term, everyone can find a way to get involved.
Contact
Joanna Mamczur, JCI Poland: joanna.mamczur@jciwroclaw.pl