These days, Russia’s attack on Ukraine marks the third time. 12.7 million people are dependent on humanitarian aid. Almost 7 million people were driven out of the country, and 3.7 million people had to flee within the country. Nora Tödtling -Musenbichler, President of Caritas Austria: “The unimaginable has become everyday life of millions of people in Ukraine: constant air alarm and the associated ubiquitous fear – of further rocket attacks, drone attacks, with life -threatening cold. Fear of death. We can’t look away. ” And currently around 86,000 people who fled to us from Ukraine live here in Austria.
Cold is used as a weapon
After three years of war, the fights continue without a break. Also in the west of Ukraine there are always attacks or alarms. Throughout Ukraine, houses, schools, health facilities and other important civilian infrastructures were rubbed. 6.9 million people have no safe accommodation and about 9.2 million people have no access to medical care and psychosocial support. Tödtling -Musenbichler: “Even before the large -scale escalation of the war in February 2022, the Ukrainian winter was a challenge for people – especially in rural regions and especially for vulnerable groups of people. Now the cold is used as a weapon. Due to the targeted destruction of thermal power plants, plums and hydropower plants, heating, electricity and water supply at outside temperatures of up to minus 20 degrees are always out. This is an enormous burden on civil society. If I think of the children who have to wait in the bomb protection cellars for air alarms. If the heating is also possible here, they are not only exposed to fear, but also the clinking cold. ”
War prevents children from growing up in carefree
Especially for the little ones, constant fear means an uninterrupted psychological stress. More than 3,600 educational institutions (including approx. 2,000 schools) have been attacked since the beginning of the war, 371 were completely destroyed – and more are being met. Every fifth school had to be closed because there are no safe shelters. In schools and kindergartens that still exist, lessons and visitors to kindergarten are always completely canceled due to attacks or alarms. In total, only around 30% of the 5 million affected children physically take part in school lessons. In combination with the previous Covid 19 pandemic, the school visit has been interrupted for many Ukrainian children for more than four years-this is as long as the entire elementary school time lasts. All of this has massive effects, according to the Caritas President: “The limited school attendance not only prevents children from accessing education, but also from growing up carefree. It leads to restricted until no interactions to other children, to missing friendships. Children in particular are also particularly at risk of developing the acute stress mentally. All the more important are protected places where children can play and get a break from constant stress. Places where children can really be a child. “
Caritas has massively expanded help
Caritas has been helping in Ukraine for over 30 years. With the attack of Russia in February 2022, she massively expanded the help. Since then, more than 4 million people have been supported together with the Caritas network with winter aid, geriatric care and help for children. In addition, Caritas helps with the distribution of clean drinking water, food and medication, organizes accommodations and also supports long -term with psychosocial support, educational measures, renovation of living space and restoration of livelihoods. People are also cared for in neighboring countries on arrival. Since 2022, the aid measures of Caritas Austria, which were financed by neighboring in need and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), have reached more than 500,000 people in neighboring countries.
Help must continue – without compromises
The visits on site confirm Tödtling Musenbichler in their actions: “The people in Ukraine are incredibly grateful for our help. In addition to the concrete support, for example with relief goods, it is above all the feeling of solidarity that gives them strength and motivation to hold out. Our help is therefore much more than the supply of the most necessary – that is exactly what is really noticeable in these encounters. It always encourages us to keep it worth staying. Looking away may still not be an option ”.
The Caritas President also addresses a future Austrian federal government: “We said from the start: The help on site will need staying power. The Austrian Federal Government is also required here to act in solidarity and to continue to help on site in Ukraine via the path of the foreign catastrophic fund. But here in Austria, too, there are urgent decisions – this concerns the clarification of the residence status after March 2026 to create perspectives, but also more accurate measures for integration into the labor market and the protection of those people who cannot work for health or age -related reasons. “
Caritas asks for donations
Ukraine, Middle East, Sudan, Syria and many more: There are currently no violent conflicts in so many countries around the world than since the Second World War. Affected: 473 million children. Caritas supports educational projects worldwide and helps to give children access to education. Because every hour of school is an hour of future.
Please also help with a donation. So that no child is left behind.
Erste Bank: IBAN AT23 2011 1000 0123 4560, BIC GibaatWWXXX
Password: children in need
Online donations: www.caritas.at/helfen
- With 10 euros, they enable a child in a day center for Ukrainian refugees and local children in Moldau for a month.
- With 50 euros, they allow a child in Ukraine loving care and care in a child Friendly Space.
- With 100 euros you can secure warm lunch and afternoon care including learning aid with educator for a month.
Caritas thanks you First bank and savings banks as well as the Vienna City Insurance Association Welcome to support this year’s children’s campaign.