Image credit: Slavic Heart

Slavic heart, was launched in May 2014 as a response to military actions in Slavyansk. It provided humanitarian aid including food, hygiene items, and medicines for IDPs from Slavyansk. At the distribution point more than 35,000 affected people received help. Now one of the leading NGOs in Eastern Ukraine, it has a unique network of 100 volunteers in the Donetsk and Luhansk areas in both the Government ancccd Non-Government Controlled Areas. Its work includes:

• Delivering and distributing humanitarian cargo.
• Providing psychosocial and legal aid to IDPs and vulnerable host communities.
• Monitoring needs in the buffer zone and affected areas.
• Preventing gender violence and supporting rehabilitation for victims of violence.

Main activities

• Slavic heart has a network of warehouses and volunteer centers in Svyatogorsk, Horlovka, Alchevsk, Bryanka, Alchevsk and Rovenki. It delivers humanitarian cargos and evacuates people from the conflict area using minivans, also helping to register IDPs living in Slavyansk.
• Since June 2014, Slavic Heart has operated an initiative known as 'Evacuation from Conflict areas' with the Akhmetov Foundation. A total of 24,000 people have been evacuated from conflict zones, and 500 tons of humanitarian aid delivered.
• Slavic Heart has launched information desks at distribution points, including providing information on lodging, psychological and legal support. In partnership with UNICEF, it has created 'Child Friendly Spaces'.
• In April 2015 it launched a social adaptation programme supported by the IOM and “Ukrainian Edges”. The initiative focuses on employment in Government-controlled areas in the Donetsk area.
• Together with the local authorities, it initiated the creation of the Municipal Volunteering Center.

Impact

So far, Slavic Heart has helped:

• 75,000 people receive humanitarian aid, including food, clothes, books and stationery.
• 10,000 people receive consultations, including 4,300 children.
• 3,500 people who have requested work assistance.
• 20,000 vulnerable people receive medical help and medicine.
• 1,000 people receive legal assistance, based on Slavic Heart's work advocating on IDP rights and other issues including registration and simplification of procedures.
• 6,000 children receive gifts and 3,000 children to participate in the New Year holiday.

Slavic Heart has signed memorandums of understanding with the UNDP, to create a Center of Social Services, and with Save the Children to implement other work.