Renovating shelters and homes in Ukraine’s war-ravaged South

Renovating shelters and homes in Ukraine’s war-ravaged South

Blue jackets in the governor’s office: HIA Emergency Response Director Barnabás Szatmári met with Oleksandr Prokudin, head of Kherson Regional Military Administration to discuss results, ongoing projects and possibilities of further assistance. On their trip to Southern Ukraine the HIA team assessed the state of public infrastructure such as schools, public institutions and their shelters…

A warm shelter for winter

A warm shelter for winter

Hungarian Interchurch Aid has been supporting winterization initiatives. Possible by the sponsorship of Christian Aid, HIA’s long-time partner has implemented the window replacement of kindergartens in the township of Pervomai’skyi, where one-third of the population is internally displaced. The most vulnerable have found refuge in the educational institutions supported by the local authorities.   Alona still…

Vision regained

Vision regained

“Oh, Angel, embrace us with your wings, Mother of God, bless all with your compassion, In our families, let there be love and esteem, To friends, always pay enough attention.  Give us lasting health and contentment, Provide us with well-being, peace and happiness, Of our heart, make a residence of kindness.”  This is what Lydia…

Starting anew from scratch

Starting anew from scratch

Olha and Dmytro have lost everything but their lives. Fleeing a small mining town in Donetsk region, they ended up in a shelter for internally displaced in Bohuslav, Kyiv region, hundreds of miles from their now lost home. As time passed, the shelter conditions became unbearable for them and their two sons, aged 10 and…

1 year of assistance on report

1 year of assistance on report

Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) is a member of ACT Alliance with an active presence in Ukraine dating back to 1998. Having established country-wide operations in 2014, in February 2022 HIA has doubled down on its efforts to provide help to the victims of the war – both in Hungary and Ukraine. From tangible, in-kind aid…

What’s cooking in Zmiiv?

What’s cooking in Zmiiv?

“I get eight thousand hryvnias (about 200 euros) after two kids. I have to cook separately for my younger son for health reasons, and I can see my daughter has psychological problems after all that we have gone through,” says Natalia when explaining how she tries to look after her children. The situation of the…

Taiwanese-Ukrainian-Hungarian dumpling cook-off in Sopron

Taiwanese-Ukrainian-Hungarian dumpling cook-off in Sopron

The Sopron branch of Hungarian Interchurch Aid has been supporting Ukrainian refugees living in the area since last summer. Aiming to build a community, the staff of the Social and Development Centre have so far held several community-building events for Ukrainian citizens fleeing the war. On Saturday, 28 January, the centre again hosted a community-building…

Food & hygiene kits distributed in cooperation with Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Food & hygiene kits distributed in cooperation with Ukrainian Orthodox Church

In cooperation with the Bishopric of Uzhhorod in Zakarpattia of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Hungarian Interchurch Aid has delivered and distributed durable food and hygiene kits for more than 2500 internally displaced people living in and around Uzhhorod on 17 January. Most of them arrived to the westernmost region of Ukraine from the eastern, war-torn…

Freedom under missiles is still better than living in fear

Freedom under missiles is still better than living in fear

The liberation of Kherson came at a price. Upon their withdrawal from the port city in southern Ukraine, the Russian invaders cut Kherson off from public services depriving the tens of thousands of residents of electricity, heating and running water. Free as it is, the city now faces ever-increasing artillery strikes from the other, still-occupied…