The humanitarian needs in Ukraine are immense as the war enters its fourth year. At the heart of response by ACT Alliance members is support to Ukrainian civil society and the largescale community response.
More than 250 survivor and community led initiatives in Ukraine and flexible small grants schemes are bringing rapid and context specific response. They complement the international aid response filling critical gaps, fostering social cohesion and building a strong sense of purpose and agency.
“Every day, we witness the extraordinary strength of Ukrainians who continue to rebuild their lives despite unimaginable hardship. Our role is to stand beside them, providing the support they need to rebuild their lives and to restore their safety,” says Barry Jolly, Country Director, DCA-NCA Ukraine. See more on the DCA-NCA joint response.
Survivor and community led response and small flexible cash grant schemes in Ukraine have engaged and targeted vulnerable groups including people with disabilities, the elderly, those suffering impacts on mental health and prioritised leadership of women. This short report compiles a snapshot of the initiatives. They include:
- Medical and food aid to displaced families and individuals
- Education and mental health support to children and young people
- Physical and psychosocial support to veterans
- Restoration of infrastructure ensuring access for people with disabilities
- Sensory equipment for people with disabilities
Funding opportunities and challenges
SCLR initiatives are typically funded via small group cash grants. In Ukraine, donor and individual giving support enabled scale up to support many local organisations and community initiatives. However, as funding to Ukraine and crisis contexts globally is being significantly and rapidly reduced, sustaining this vital response is at risk.
We continue to raise attention to locally led response and its value alongside broader aid responses. The destructive funding cuts of recent weeks are a major challenge. The challenge to the sector is to maintain commitment to both reaching the most vulnerable as well as sustained resilience.
See the full publication and video below on ACT support to community response in Ukraine:
See also: Letting Go of Control: Empowering Locally Led Action in Ukraine
