The Crisis in Ukraine

There is no quick fix. We do believe, however, that in times of great adversity, there can be bright spots of human kindness. It would be a large exaggeration to say philanthropy is the solution. It can, however, alleviate some of the suffering.

As philanthropists, we have the chance to provide timely and targeted help. Leveraging the experience of the bank’s networks, the Golden Bottle Trust, the Master Charitable Trust and publicly available information, we have compiled a list of charities with a focus on immediate, local response. These charities are providing people in Ukraine with food, water and essential supplies, while trying to ensure they remain safe and well.

The list below will be updated as and when we find further ways to support these efforts.

Rennie Hoare
Partner and Head of Philanthropy

Charities Active in Ukraine

1. Caritas – Ukraine
   Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of over 160 members who are working at the grassroots in almost every country of the world. When a crisis hits, Caritas is already on the ground.

   Help for Ukraine: The Caritas Confederation has launched an emergency appeal to support the work of Caritas Ukraine. The programme aims to support conflict-affected people with food, drinking water, safe accommodation and hygiene kits, as well as ensuring safe transportation for vulnerable people to reach their loved ones and safe areas.

   Since late summer 2021, particularly in eastern Ukraine, Caritas anticipated humanitarian response for the possible escalation of the conflict. Caritas trained staff and volunteers to increase its capacity to meet the needs of the local communities and strengthen its network. It also pre-positioned temporary centres to welcome and ensure assistance to internally displaced people whose number will most likely increase considerably with the onset of this recent military intervention.

2. Plan International
   Plan’s strategy is to work with vulnerable children, especially girls, so that they can learn, lead, decide and thrive. It has an ambition to transform the lives of 100 million girls and child sponsorship and grassroots community work are central to its strategy.
   
   Help for Ukraine: Plan International has missions heading to Moldova, Romania and Poland to assess how best to support girls. They will be working with organisations in these countries to deliver relief assistance, child protection, mental health and psycho-social support, cash and vouchers, and education and advocacy programmes. With further support, it will be able to scale up urgent relief operations to support more children and their families.

3. RefuAid
   RefuAid is a charitable organisation that focuses on access to education, employment and finance for those who have sought sanctuary in the UK.
   
   Help for Ukraine: A note from Anna Jones, co-founder of RefuAid- We have watched the horrors unfold in Ukraine and are currently implementing an expansion of our support to prepare for an influx of refugees to the UK in the coming months. This includes preparing English language courses (in person and via remote learning), expanding our existing interest-free loan programme to help people resettle, and supporting long-term employment opportunities. In addition, we are currently working with all relevant actors to ensure the UK government and wider society do everything possible to welcome those displaced by the war in Ukraine. It is anticipated the conflict will go on for many months and potentially years, displacing people from their homes for an indefinite amount of time. While the focus on humanitarian aid to those trapped and those fleeing Ukraine is paramount, resources must also be spent on planning for long-term support that enables displaced people to live independently and safely, put their children into school, and access employment.

4. RE:ACT
   RE:ACT repurposes the hard-earned skills and experience of military veterans who, as agile, resilient humanitarians, are capable of deploying rapidly when people need immediate, urgent relief.
   
   Help for Ukraine: RE:ACT is assessing  humanitarian needs in Romania, which borders on Ukraine. Responders apply military expertise in planning and problem solving, collaborating with humanitarian partners to develop and share situational awareness, identify critical gaps in the response, and fill those gaps in the fastest time possible with the most effective solutions.

5. Hope and Homes for Children
   Hope and Homes for Children was the creation of Mark and Caroline Cook who believe every child has the right to grow up in a loving family. Today, the organisation, started by Mark and Caroline at their kitchen table in 1994, is at the forefront of a growing global movement to eliminate the institutional care of children.
   
   Help for Ukraine: Hope and Homes for Children’s teams in Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania have been working since the invasion of Ukraine to protect children affected by the conflict and avert a child-protection crisis of epic proportions. Its CEO, Mark Waddington, is in the region, working with colleagues to map out the next phase of its crisis response.

6. Stop the Traffik
   STOP THE TRAFFIK is a pioneer in human trafficking prevention. It works to unite people around the world by inspiring, informing, equipping and mobilising communities so they know what human trafficking is, know how to identify it and know how to respond appropriately when they see it.
   
   Help for Ukraine: STOP THE TRAFFIK, together with the Traffik Analysis Hub, is focused on preventing those fleeing Ukraine from being exploited by traffickers by disrupting the global operation of those who seek to take advantage of vulnerable communities. It is already launching a programme in the UK that will seek to prevent the trafficking of individuals from Ukraine and surrounding countries into forced labour in the UK. They also encourage any initiatives that will support the safe passage of those fleeing Ukraine and facilitate clear access to support in the countries they arrive in, thus minimising vulnerability to traffickers.

7. Medair
   Medair is an impartial, independent, and neutral humanitarian organisation inspired by Christian faith to save lives and relieve human suffering in the world’s most difficult-to-reach and devastated places.
   
   Help for Ukraine: Local organisations and volunteers are doing what they can to support refugees from Ukraine, but they are overwhelmed as the fighting intensifies. Medair is on the ground, providing urgent support to displaced families and the communities that host them. For more than 30 years, it has been responding to conflict-driven emergencies. Its Global Emergency Response Team is taking action.