As Russia continues its military assault on Ukraine, several aid organizations have mobilized and solicited donations to support Ukrainians.
The war has created Exjmtzywurope’s fastest growing refugee crisis since the Second World War, according the the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The UN says more than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine, largely to Poland and other neighbouring Eastern European countries. One million Ukrainians have also been internally displaced.
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Meanwhile, in Ukraine’s conflict zones, violence including heavy artillery shelling has injured more than 800 civilians killed at least 406 others, according to the UN, which also says that the real figures are likely "considerably higher."
Here are some organizations that Canadians can donate to in order to help Ukrainians:
ORGANIZATIONS ON THE GROUND
Numerous aid organizations have been deployed to Ukraine and Eastern European countries near the border to assist with the growing refugee crisis.
Addressing displaced Ukrainians’ food insecurity for is a top priority for many of the organizations on the front lines. Many Ukrainians have had to walk for days with little to eat as they head towards cities in western Ukraine or the border.
The UN World Food Programme has sent aid workers to Ukraine and neighbouring countries, delivering food to Ukrainians caught in the crossfire of the conflict.
"Their priority will be to get food into Ukraine, where it’s needed most, but also there on the borders to make sure they can feed people — the refugees that are coming across the border," Julie Marshall, the WFP’s Canadian spokesperson, told CTV News Channel on Sunday.
"What we’re hearing is that food has been cut off and water service is in short supply. It’s mainly the areas that are obviously under attack and are being besieged, and what we’re trying to do right now is to pre-position food where we think it’s going to be needed most," she added.
Other organizations on the ground supporting displaced Ukrainians include World Vision Canada, Save the Children Canada, and GlobalMedic.
The Canadian Red Cross has also been raising funds for humanitarian operations in Ukraine and neighbouring countries. The Canadian government had also pledged to match Red Cross donations up to $10 million, a pledge that has now been met.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has also dispatched teams to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries to assist with the inflow of refugees. In Ukraine’s conflict zones, MSF has also distributed medical aid to hospitals and produced training for 30 trauma care surgeons.
UKRAINIAN-CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Ukrainian-Canadians are also stepping up to support Ukraine. Canada is home to more than 1.4 million people of Ukrainian descent, the largest Ukrainian diaspora population outside of the former Soviet Union.
The Canada-Ukraine Foundation has launched its Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal in response to the war. The foundation says, as of Friday, it had delivered "approximately $550,000 CAD to provide food packages, medicine and shelter," with an additional $1.07 million in aid headed to Ukraine later this week.
“There is a real human need for our members of the Ukrainian Canada community and the broader community, our friends all around us, to do everything we can to help the people of Ukraine at their time of need,” said Alexandra Chyczij, President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, in a statement on Friday.
The League of Ukrainian Canadians and the League of Ukrainian Canadian Women have also organized the Friends of Ukraine Defence Forces Fund. Organizers say donations will provide Ukrainian soldiers with non-lethal support such as body armour, medical supplies and food. The fund will also go towards children and families of Ukrainian soldiers, as well as Ukrainian troops who have been injured or killed in battle.
UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM
Canadians can also help support independent journalism outlets in Ukraine to keep Ukrainians and the world informed about what’s happening in the country.
The Kyiv Independent, an English-language online news site, was founded in November 2021 by former employees of the Kyiv Post after disagreements over editorial independence. Since the start of the war, it has brought constant on-the-ground updates of Russia’s invasion and the pushback within Ukraine.
"From cyberattacks, bombings, ground invasions — it is hard to predict what the days ahead will bring and what we will need to respond," the Independent wrote on its GoFundMe page. As of Monday, the outlet has raised nearly CAD$2 million on the GoFundMe and has nearly 6,000 supporters on Patreon.
A consortium of European journalism organizations is also fundraising for several Ukrainian-language media outlets, such as Ukrainska Pravda, Zaborona and Detector Media. This money will be used to help journalists pay for relocation and security expenses as the war continues.
AVOID UKRAINE-RELATED SCAMS
Scammers have also tried to take advantage of the outpouring of generosity in support of Ukraine.
On TikTok, there have been numerous livestreams from scammers asking for monetary support while pretending to be Ukrainians fleeing conflict. TikTok marketing expert Wave Wyld says these fake livestreams often feature pre-recorded videos of conflict zones playing on a loop.
"I was quite shocked. I would see hundreds of donations through a livestream and the video that claimed to be in the Ukraine appeared to be a fake," Wyld told CTV News Toronto last week.
If you’re donating to a trusted aid organization, double-check the URL or social media handle and make sure you’re not donating to an impostor. The Ukrainian Red Cross has warned of several fake Instagram accounts posing as the organization and soliciting donations.
The Ukrainian government has also solicited cryptocurrency donations for ammunition and training operations for its military. But Elliptic, a company that tracks cryptocurrency transactions, has warned that cryptocurrency scammers have tried to trick donors into sending them money by masquerading as Ukraine-related causes. Unlike credit card, PayPal or bank transactions, transactions involving cryptocurrency are completely irreversible.
Get in touch
Are you in Ukraine? Do you have family in Ukraine? Are you or your family affected? Email [email protected].
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Refugees fleeing from Ukraine arrive at the border crossing in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu)
