The brutal war has lasted for about nine months, and the 41 million Ukrainians are now facing a cold winter with unstable supplies of electricity, food and medical care. Although the Russians retreat in some areas, drone attacks across the nation continue to kill and injure innocent people, damage infrastructure and instill a constant fear among already exhausted Ukrainians. Per today it is estimated that a minimum 130 000 Ukrainian homes are in ruins.
“Odfjell’s considerable donation to our humanitarian efforts in Ukraine is greatly appreciated by the Norwegian Red Cross. We have teams on the ground who will ensure that your support will make a difference for people in need. The situation in Ukraine is unpredictable and the suffering is enormous and we fear that it will get even worse during the winter. Odfjell’s support will contribute to our continued presence and enable us to continue to help people and build local capacity that will last.”
- Erik Abild, Regional Representative Europe for the Norwegian Red Cross
Odfjell has chosen to donate to the Red Cross based on the documented effect and the targeted efforts from both the international, Norwegian and Ukrainian branches. More than 8000 Red Cross volunteers are taking part in the humanitarian work in Ukraine, in addition to the professional Red Cross teams.
“The Norwegian Red Cross’ main strategy is to assist vulnerable people in need through working with the Ukrainian Red Cross. We are on the ground, and in close collaboration with local health authorities we assess what the most urgent needs are. We agree on how we can use our expertise in the most effective way and then we make sure that the job gets done”, Abild says.
“Our primary goal is to help people in need, but we want to do this in a way that builds local capacity, resilience and preparedness for the long run.”
Abild explains that the donations from Odfjell will be targeted at three specific projects:
Mobile health units:
There are an estimated 17,7 million people in need of humanitarian aid in Ukraine, and more than 6 million of them are internally displaced inside Ukraine. It is expected that this number will increase as winter arrives with temperatures of minus 15-20 degrees. They require various forms of help among which health services are amongst the most crucial, both physical and psychosocial. Local authorities often do not have the sufficient medical capacity, and the lack of clean water in several areas increases the infection risk.
The Norwegian Red Cross manages and covers the complete cost of running more than 20 mobile health units across the country. These can travel out to where vulnerable people in need are, many of whom have fled their homes. Every mobile unit is furnished with medical equipment, medicines and a professional team of doctors, nurses and psychologists. When needed, midwives, gynecologists and pharmacists also take part. The units cooperate closely with local authorities to assist people in need every day. One mobile unit offers medical services to around 5000 people every month.
First aid training:
During wars, one of the most critical skills to save lives is first aid. The Norwegian Red Cross has experts who offer extensive first-aid training to Ukrainians all across the country, who in turn train their family, friends and neighbors.
Support to the Ukrainian Red Cross organization:
The Ukrainian Red Cross Society in Ukraine is experiencing a crisis of herculean dimensions that demands enormous resources. Organizational specialists from the Norwegian Red Cross’ are working closely with the local team to build their capacity in key areas, to be able to organize, prioritize, coordinate, manage and distribute donations and the many humanitarian projects across the country.
The Red Cross is prepared to increase resources in any of these three areas as needed, and works to find the best balance between emergency aid and sustained presence. In addition to these concrete projects, the Norwegian Red Cross also assists the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in various ways, and has sent 192 tonnes of emergency aid from Norway to Ukraine. This includes medical equipment, blankets, beds, heating ovens, cars, and more.
Read more about the Red Cross' work in Ukraine here. Want to donate? For Norway, click here, for other locations, click here.
