IOM Delivers Vital Aid to Ukraine’s Newly Accessible Areas

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is providing life-saving support to communities shut off from humanitarian aid for the first time since the commencement of the war in Ukraine.

IOM sent approximately 30,000 aid goods in 23 trucks to five municipalities in the Kharkiv region between September 16 and September 29 in conjunction with other humanitarian organizations: Shevchenkove, Balakliia, Chuhuiv, Velykyi Burluk, and Izum. Solar lamps, bed linen, mattresses, blankets, family hygiene kits, tarpaulins, and tool kits were all sent to help the people fix their damaged homes in time for the winter.

In the vicinity of Kharkiv, there are around 400,000 internally displaced people (IDPs). As a result of recent conflict, thousands of people are still without heat, electricity, or water.

“Our emergency teams were among the first to reach these areas that have seen incredibly heavy fighting in recent weeks,” said Anh Nguyen, Chief of Mission, IOM Ukraine. “People there are in dire need of all kinds of humanitarian assistance, particularly to make their homes habitable for the harsh winter they are facing. We intend to scale up our response and ensure that no one is left behind.”

IOM’s most recent statistics indicates that 82% of Ukraine’s roughly 6 million internally displaced people were pushed from their homes in the east and south of the nation. IDPs report that on average 15% of them do not have sufficient winter accommodation, with the number reaching up to 23% in the east.

IOM provided 1,200 emergency shelter kits for people affected by the hostilities in the Kherson region. Days after these locations became accessible, the aid was given to local authorities for further distribution in the municipalities of Vysokopillia and Mala Shesternia.

‘’Working with IOM, we’ve been able to deliver shelter kits that can each repair 60 square metres of damaged homes,” said Yaroslav Yanushevich, Head of the Kherson Military Administration. “This is essential given the worsening weather conditions during the cold season.”

Emergency shelter repair kits include plywood, tarpaulin, wooden battens, roofing material, ropes, hammers, nails and other items.

“Every residential building here has been damaged, including damage to windows, walls or roofs,” says Andrii, who lives in the town of Novovorontsovka, Kherson Region, a locality scarred by recent heavy fighting. “There is ongoing fighting next to residential areas, but there are still civilians living here who are not able to leave and are in desperate need.”

This assistance was delivered thanks to funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and the European Union.

This article has been posted by a News Hour Correspondent. For queries, please contact through [email protected]
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