Since February 24th, 2022, more than 4,500 missiles have been fired on Ukrainian cities and towns, including on civilian buildings. During summer 2023 , Tetiana*’s apartment in Kyiv was damaged by a strike, blowing up windows and balconies. Following the event, Tetiana received a call from Acted informing her about the humanitarian support she could receive. Indeed, after sudden shelling, Acted can provide rapid response cash assistance within five days to directly affected households.
With the financial support of the European Union, Acted and the Estonian Refugee Council are providing cash assistance to more than 66,000 conflict-affected individuals across nine Ukrainian oblasts. Among the cash assistance recipients are individuals affected by sudden shelling.
“I am an optimist in general, I don’t worry too much”
Tetiana is a retired English teacher. She says with a smile she is “about 80”, but with her plaid shirt and purple headband, she looks like a young spirit. Tetiana enjoys socializing with her young neighbours, and always lends a hand, taking care of children or sitting with ill mothers from her building.
She is quite active and likes taking long walks with her black and white dog, initiating conversations with other pet-owners. She describes herself as an optimistic person.
One of her favorite pastimes is to read and compose poems about everyday topics like nature and love. But lately, Tetiana has been writing about her journeys. At the beginning of the war, she fled to Holland with her daughter and her dog. The journey out of Ukraine was difficult, as people were crowding in at the train station and there were frequent air raid alarms sirens. Along the way, in Poland, Germany and Holland, Tetiana met volunteers who, just like her, were lending a hand to others in need. Two months after Tetiana left Ukraine , her 18 year-old granddaughter was killed while serving in the Territorial Defense. At that moment, Tetiana decided to come back to Kyiv, closer to her family.
Tetiana and her dog, in her appartment, where she tells her story to Acted's teams
“A lot of damage was caused by this explosion”
With time, Tetiana got used to the sounds of explosions and air defense. But that was until the building across the street from her was destroyed. She was sitting in her hallway when she heard the glass blow out in her apartment. During the event, the new building next door was also heavily damaged, as well as a nearby school.
“I was quite unexpected but pleasant when I received the call from Acted.”
Following the strike, Tetiana received a call from Acted informing her about the humanitarian assistance she could receive. She was one of the first to arrive to a nearby school, where Acted teams were registering individuals affected by the blast for rapid cash assistance.
In her usual spirit of aiding others, she helped one her disabled neighbours, whose windows were also shattered, to register for assistance.
Within days, Tetiana and her neighbour each received rapid cash assistance from Acted to support their basic needs.
Cash assistance is the most efficient and effective way to provide humanitarian support to Ukrainians impacted by the war. With multi-purpose cash, targeted conflict-affected individuals can purchase or afford their basic needs such as food, rent, medicine, hygiene products, heating etc. Cash assistance gives recipients the flexibility to prioritise their needs, respecting their dignity and agency, while stimulating the local economy. With funding from the European Union, Acted and the Estonian Refugee Council, have already distributed multi-purpose cash to 46,298 individuals under this project.
*The name of the beneficiary has been changed to protect her identity
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