Ukraine - IOM is to launch new projects to help vulnerable, conflict-affected people in Ukraine’s Donbas region and others forcibly displaced from the area by clashes between government and separatist forces.

The initiative follows new contributions of USD 4.5 million to IOM Ukraine’s humanitarian response operation from the US, Canada, Norway and Lithuania and will target the immediate and long term needs of vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) and affected communities.

“IDPs now fleeing the conflict have different needs from those who left their homes a year ago. Those staying in the East face different realities than those already in western areas. We have to take this into account and meet people’s immediate and longer term needs to help them restart their lives. This new donor support will help us to do that,” said IOM Ukraine Chief of Mission Manfred Profazi.

The new contributions include USD 3 million from the US State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), which will enable IOM to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to vulnerable IDPs and other conflict-affected people in the Donbas region.

A contribution of NOK 5 million (USD 650,000) from the Government of Norway will allow IOM to provide cash support to IDPs in the eastern Kharkiv region.

Another CAD 1 million (USD 810,000) from the Government of Canada will provide essential non-food relief items (NFIs) for up to 5,000 IDPs (1,700 households). It will also improve living conditions in up to eight collective centres and social institutions, as well as helping with income generation.

A EUR 40,000 contribution from the Lithuanian Government will facilitate access to medical treatment and psychological counselling for vulnerable IDPs. IOM will address the immediate treatment needs of up to 100 IDPs with critical medical conditions, provide 250 IDP households with urgently-needed medicines, and cover psychological counselling for 50 IDP cases, benefitting a total of up to 400 IDPs.

According to official data, over 2 million Ukrainians have been displaced by the war in the East of the country. So far, IOM has assisted over 50,000 IDPs with essential NFIs, including basic household and hygiene items, and medicines. Other assistance has included cash aid, psychological support, legal counselling, information services and livelihood support.

For more information, please contact Varvara Zhluktenko at IOM Ukraine, Tel: +38 044 568 5015, Email: vzhluktenko@iom.int or IOMKievComm@iom.int