Home care and support for people fleeing the war in Dr0hobych
Background
Present in Drohobych, Ukraine since 1997, the Brothers of the Hospitaller Order began their apostolate by initially opening a community, an outpatient clinic and a medical dispensary within the premises of a city hospital, the Brothers also took care of the lonely elderly and terminally ill.
In 2014 with the outbreak of the crisis in Dunbass an initial wave of refugees, up to 600 a month, from eastern Ukraine, began to arrive in Drohobych. They were mainly Crimean Tatar and Russian speaking, Ukrainian families from Dunbass.
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a new wave of refugees reached the city. The community, together with the Polish Province, immediately mobilised with medical, material and financial aid. In March 20233 the General Curia set up a Ukraine emergency coordination group with the main task of managing fund raising from the Order’s Provinces, the first request was for medical equipment. The support of the Polish Province and the Order’s Provinces continues today in the form of regular assistance (shipments of food, medical supplies, personal hygiene products, cleaning products, clothing and more) and targetted assistance (for special orders – 3 fire engines, 2 ambulances, 2 transport vans, 1 hearse, power generators, etc.) In total over 50 tonnes of aid were sent to Ukraine.
In 2024 alone, the Drohobcyh community helped over 9,000 people, distributing food parcels, medicines, personal hygiene products, basic medical equipment and household appliances. Currently the community receives over 200 people a month from Drohobcyh and the surrounding area in addition to the 400 war refugees from Eastern Ukraine.
Together with the material aid the Polish Brothers have never stopped offering moral support and spiritual guidance to the people fleeing the war, maintaining a constant presence.
General Objective
- To guarantee home care and psychological , health and material support to people fleeing the war and improving their living conditions and supporting their integration into the host community.
Specific Objectives
- Provide home medical care to war victims, with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups (people with disabilities, widows, orphans, the elderly, war amputees)
- Offer psychological and social support alleviate post traumatic stress
- Distribute essential goods (food, medicine, blankets, personal hygiene products)
- Training local volunteers and operators to guarantee sustainable assistance over time
Beneficieries
- War widows and orphans
- Wounded soldiers
- Refugees from Eastern Ukraine
- Lonely and destitute elderly people
Planned Activities
- Home provision of basic healthcare
- Psychological, social, moral and spiritual support for the victims of the conflict
- Distribution of essential goods
- Community training and involvement
Expected Results
- Improvement of living conditions
- Increased access to health services for vulnerable people
- Promotion of social and community integration by fostering a community support network between displaced persons and the local residents
- Strengthening of local capacities and support network
Budget
Estimated budget €400,000