The summer of 2023 was marked for the Charitable Organization "Charity Fund "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya" by the start of a large project "Improving the Protection of Children in Emergencies in Ukraine by Providing Safe Shelters, Food and Non-Food Items, and Psychosocial Support". Throughout the year, it will be implemented with the support of "terre des hommes Deutschland e.V." and funding from the Federal Foreign Office of Germany.

The project envisages activities aimed at helping children from birth to the stage of socialization in society, in stable conditions and when there is a need for enhanced protection. The emphasis on children is not accidental, as the war has shown an unprecedented level of vulnerability and defenselessness of the civilian population, especially children.

Now to the specifics, namely, the four areas of our work for the next 12 months, which, by the way, do not cancel the rest of the Committee’s functionality.

A reproductive health office will be set up in Uzhhorod, where specialists will provide free professional qualified assistance to expectant mothers. It is about timely diagnostics, consultations, and examinations, which, thanks to the use of modern equipment, should help women and protect their children. We are convinced that a woman’s health is an integral guarantee of a healthy child, and thus of the future generation.

The Committee carries out activities aimed at socialization of children, their development, education, and meaningful leisure in partnership with the NGO "Happy Children". This work has already begun and has covered almost two hundred children of different age groups with cultural and educational initiatives. You can read more here.

How can such a complex project do without construction and repair work? In fact, it can’t. Therefore, in the near future, we will start large-scale repairs in two new (actually, not very new) buildings of the Vilshany Children Orphanage. The renovated and equipped premises will improve the living conditions of the children, optimize the work of the staff, and expand the range of activities aimed at rehabilitation, socialization, creative and individual development of people with disabilities. It should be noted that the Committee has been working hard to realize this plan for a long time, and we finally have the opportunity to get to work. The need to resettle the residents of the orphanage became even more urgent when it received evacuated children from other institutions.

Already these days, we are starting to replace the roof of our Tyachiv shelter, where solar panels will also be installed. Similar energy-efficient measures are planned for the shelter in Nyzhnye Selyshche. Nearly a hundred IDPs – mostly women and children – currently live in these facilities. Zakarpattia has sheltered people who have lost their homes due to russian military aggression, and our task is to create optimal conditions for their stay here, to raise awareness of responsibility, frugality, community integration, etc.

MACZ became one of five non-governmental organizations in Ukraine whose initiatives were supported by the German side. The team formed within the framework of the project, together with partners, has already started the implementation of the approved action plan, and we will inform you about the results of which later.

Let’s keep working!