UNICEF funds help Ukraine’s families prepare for winter
Thanks to cash assistance received from UNICEF, families like Tetiana’s are able to buy warm clothes and blankets for their children.
- Українська
- English
Financial assistance from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is helping scores of vulnerable families in Ukraine to buy food, meet their immediate needs and rebuild their lives, amid the ongoing war and displacement.
Tetiana, her husband Yevhen and their three children, who live in Kharkiv, are among them. Back in January, they returned to home after being temporarily displaced by the fighting, but life was a struggle – and the children felt the impact.
As the violence across Ukraine continued, 13-year-old Nastia had no choice but to study online, missing out on direct communication with her peers. Meanwhile, three-year-old twin boys Bohdan and Matvii, both of whom have an autism spectrum disorder, desperately needed at least three sessions a week with special education teachers.
The family's financial situation also worsened, as the prices of basic goods and food increased. With kindergartens in Kharkiv closed since February 2022, Tetiana was unable to work, meaning they were forced to rely on Yevhen.
When the family received UNICEF’s financial assistance in February, a weight was lifted.
"We used part of the money we received for the children's development, paying for classes with teachers and sensory integration," says Tetiana.
"And thanks to UNICEF's financial support, we have already started preparing for winter. We bought boots and warm blankets for the children. Now I dream of buying new beds for Bohdan and Matvii.”
Since the full-scale war broke out in Ukraine in February 2022, the financial situation of many families has deteriorated due to forced displacement and rising prices for food and basic goods. Families in frontline communities have been forced to cut back on food consumption and spend their savings on medical treatment and medicines.
From March 2022 to May 2024, UNICEF’s Humanitarian Cash Transfer programme in Ukraine has reached 285,277 households, supporting 1,278,604 individuals and 770,207 children, among which there were at least 70,072 children with disabilities. The programme is supported by the Norwegian Government and other international donors.
Some parts of Ukraine experience particularly harsh winters with heavy snowfall. Families from these areas are prioritised for assistance. Last winter, the energy infrastructure was also damaged, leaving around seven million children without electricity, heating and water. On average, every family spent five weeks without electricity.
UNICEF is currently providing cash assistance to families raising children with disabilities, low-income families, families living in government-controlled or frontline areas, and single-parent families. UNICEF receives information on these families from the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine.
