Over two years, more than CAD 70 million have been allocated for humanitarian programs in Ukraine and support for Ukrainians in Moldova and Romania as part of the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) project, which is jointly implemented by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) and Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC).
As Chair of the board of CUF Victor Hetmanczuk and President of UCC Alexandra Chyczij clarified during a press conference on Monday, in total CAD 67 million was collected for humanitarian needs, to which CAD 20 million in in-kind donations were added.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 – we were there within several days with the first humanitarian supplies. We continue to expand our work as Canada’s humanitarian charity of choice to help war-torn Ukraine,” Hetmanchuk said.
The humanitarian response focuses on food security, health care, temporary housing and mental health support for displaced people in Ukraine, neighboring countries and Canada.
“The democratic world cannot allow Ukraine to fail, for if… [otherwise] Putin will have to be stopped by our sons and daughters. We thank all Canadians for supporting Ukraine,” Chyczij said.
Since February 2022, within the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, assistance has been provided in the amount of over CAB 70 million. In particular, 700,000 boxes of food were donated for 2 million Ukrainians in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania; more than 141 tonnes of medicines, some 28 ambulances assistance; some 100 MOVES SLC life support systems for the Ministry of Health of Ukraine; some 50 vacuum-assisted closure devices equipment for maternity wards and a rehabilitation center for veterans; some 1,000 sets of firefighters’ gear and 10,000 protective gloves, robotic deminers and X-ray machines for humanitarian demining; generators and water pumps and much more.
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, as of January 27, 2024, more than 220,000 Ukrainians have sought asylum in Canada under the CUAET visa. Ontario and Alberta have taken in over 60% of all new arrivals with 40% and 22% respectively. Quebec, British Columbia and Manitoba have each taken in 10% of CUAET holders.
Approximately CAD 2 million have been allocated to more than 30 humanitarian projects in six provinces aimed at supporting displaced Ukrainians – predominantly women with children and the elderly, with a focus on food security, shelter and psychosocial support such as trauma counselling and employment assistance.
In addition, in two years, the Canada-Ukraine Surgical Aid Program (CUSAP) which has been operating since 2014, carried out four surgical missions to treat more than 90 Ukrainians with severe facial injuries resulting from military operations.
As reported, the Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal (UHA) was founded in January 2022 by the Canada-Ukraine Foundation and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress with the goal of coordinating the effective provision of humanitarian assistance to war-torn Ukraine following the full-scale Russian invasion, including assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Europe and Canada.
CANADA-UKRAINE FOUNDATION
https://www.cufoundation.ca/media-event-feb21-2024/