On the night of November 11, 2024, Mykolaiv city, located approximately 50 kilometers from the frontline, was hit by a Russian drone and a shelling attack. Several quiet neighborhoods were affected, and fires broke out in both multi-story apartment buildings and private homes, causing significant damage to residential infrastructure.
In response to the strikes, Acted, with support from the European Union, provided rapid multi-purpose cash assistance to people whose homes were damaged. This assistance modality allows for cash transfers within one month after registration, helping affected populations to take the first steps toward recovery.
Iryna* was at home with her granddaughter when a shell landed near their house.
After the explosion, everything fell, glass, furniture, even parts of the ceiling. We cleaned up what we could, but the house was seriously damaged.
Iryna shows the Acted team the debris of her house left behind by the blast. The walls, windows, and roof have since been repaired.
Her granddaughter was deeply affected by the incident. “We were very frightened. After that night, she started having problems with her eyesight, and with the skin on her face and hands. The doctors said it’s linked to stress, so we also saw a psychologist.”
Iryna didn’t believe she could receive assistance at first, but then learned about Acted’s support through one of her neighbors.
We thought no one would support us, we didn’t believe it until we registered.
With cash assistance, Iryna was able to start repairing her home. She used the funds to replace broken windows, fix damaged walls, and partially repair the roof.
We’re really glad this kind of support exists, it’s important, and we really need it. We weren’t prepared for something like this. No one is.
The walls of Iryna’s house remain damaged from the blast, but the repaired windows helped her stay warm during last winter.
Liudmyla*, a schoolteacher in the city, was also affected that night. She was asleep in her apartment with her 19-year-old daughter when the attack began.
It was our dog who woke me up. He jumped on my chest, and right after that I heard the air raid siren and quickly woke up my daughter. He saved our life.
Their apartment was hit by the blast. “I saw our neighbor’s apartment burning. The interior doors and balcony were destroyed, and smoke started coming in through the balcony.
I’ll never forget the moment my daughter came to me and said ‘Mom, I don’t want to die'
What felt like an eternity passed before help arrived. “In reality, it was just five minutes, but for us, it felt much longer.”
Beyond physical destruction, the prolonged war in Ukraine exposed millions to trauma and psychological distress, leaving long-lasting effects and emotional scars as experienced by Liudmyla after the attack. “At first, it was especially difficult for me, the day after I had to go to the hospital because my blood pressure was too high. Before the attack, I used to follow the news and watch videos of attacks from other cities, but now I can’t, the images come back like flashes. It also became hard to sleep.”
Liudmyla received Acted’s multi-purpose cash assistance directly to her bank account. She shared that “It was practical, especially because during the first month, I avoided going out.” The support helped her begin fixing the damage and move toward recovery.
With the money, I bought materials, foam to seal the walls and new interior doors. I also paid a repairman to do some of the work.
Since 2024, Acted has provided rapid multi-purpose cash assistance to 8,430 individuals with the support of the European Union. The assistance targets households directly affected by sudden and severe shelling and whose homes became uninhabitable, who suffered personal loss, had a family member injured or hospitalized, or were forced to evacuate due to active hostilities close to their home. It aims to help affected households manage to cover their urgent and uncovered needs, caused by a shock.
*Names have been changed to protect the beneficiaries’ identities.
