Help to the Ukrainian Refugees

Since September, 2014 «Caritas South of Russia” helps to the Ukrainian refugees. Food and hygienic kits, bed linen and baby food are distributed among beneficiaries. Many refugees expressed about the reasonableness of the food kit, which provides with food for a long time.

«Caritas South of Russia” implements emergency projects since 2002 and has a lot of experience. But any new project has its own specifics. This is the first emergency  project of «Caritas South of Russia», in which all beneficiaries are foreign citizens, which is a factor of additional problems.
In the first months after the beginning of the conflict on Donbass many refugees hoped that the situation in Ukraine is normalized, and they will be able to return to normal life in the homeland.

However, these hopes, unfortunately, don’t come true. Officially many refugees have come to the Rostov region on private affairs. Therefore the statistics doesn’t consider them as refugees. Now they realize that soon it is necessary to make a choice: to remain in Russia or to come back home. Communicating with refugees Caritas workers noticed how it is difficult to many of them to come to the decision. 

Help from Caritas South Russia to the refugees from Ukraine

Since September 2014, Caritas Priazovie under the coordination of Diocesan Caritas in Saratov has started to realize program of the help to the refugees from Ukraine, located in the Rostov region. Caritas South of Russia asked donations for the project among members of Caritas Europe. CRS (office in Bosnia), Caritas Germany, Caritas Spain, Caritas Italy, Caritas Austria, Caritas Belgium have agreed to finance the project.

Since the end of September till the middle of November 2014 help was provided to 142 refugees. The refugees received  food, hygiene products and bedding. On supervision of employees of Caritas Priazovie the considerable part of refugees is shocked. Not so long ago people had the work which is bringing in the sufficient income, normal living conditions, some savings, and now they lost everything. Now their life is very much dependent on the mercy of relatives and strangers. However, it should be noted that many refugees want to return to a normal life, find a job or to continue their studies at University, to integrate into the local society.

Help from Caritas South of Russia to the refugees from Ukraine

Started in autumn 2013 the political conflict in Ukraine has led to an armed confrontation between two parties. The armed confrontation has caused many people to leave their homes. According to the chief spokeswomen of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees some 110,000 people have fled Ukraine to Russia this year, while 54,400 others have been displaced within the country.

Due to the large inlux of refugees a state of emergency was declared on the whole territory of the Rostov region on 30th of June 2014. On 10th of July 2014 the number of registered refugees in Rostov region according to the Ministry of Emergency was about 25 thousand people, among them 9 thousand children. About 18 thousand refugees reside in the families of local citizens, the others were accommodated in the 74 temporary shelters for refugees. The largest part of refugees is situated now in the near-border districts of the region. At the beginning the refugees were placed in locations designed for longer stays: summer camps, recreation homes and hotels. For example, in the town of Bataysk refugees were placed in the gymnasium of Secondary School №4.There are no places in such institutions now.