An estimated 16 million people are in need of protection and humanitarian assistance. *
In just few days after the start of the conflict, millions of refugees from Ukraine entered neighbouring countries; 5 months later, nearly 9 million people from Ukraine crossed to such countries in search of safety. Newcomers often came from areas severely affected by the fighting, some after spending weeks hiding in air raid shelters and basement floors. Often, they arrived in difficult physical and psychological conditions, after leaving their families, without knowing where to go and with few financial resources.
UNHCR, the UN refugee agency with a long-lasting presence in the region, particularly in Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia and Romania, has significantly extended its assistance to Ukraine and neighbouring countries to welcome refugees in response to the intensification of the humanitarian crisis. It has also worked, in anticipation of wintertime, to ensure safe housing and economic opportunities for those who are still in Ukraine or wish to return.
In the midst of the emergency, as Bolton Hope Foundation we contributed to support UNHCR’s activities aimed at providing assistance to refugees in Ukraine.
*Source: UNHCR, July 2022