POSTED March 16, 2022
Ukrainian President pleads for Canada’s help; our partners continue with aid
Learn more about the situation on the ground and the aid our partners are helping provide
By Dave Stell, communications manager, Canada
In a passionate speech to Canada’s Parliament Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Canada to do more to help his country and its people in constant danger. He reported 97 children have died since the Russian invasion Feb. 24.
Zelensky appealed to Canadians to put themselves in the place of Ukraine’s citizens. “Imagine Canadian facilities have been bombed, similarly as our buildings and memorial places are being bombed,” he said. “A number of families have died. Every night is a horrible night.”
Children Believe continues to support our ChildFund Alliance members working in Ukraine to provide emergency support for children, women and families affected by the Russian attack. This is as it’s reported that volunteer helpers and activists have been threatened if found supporting relief rather than channelling aid through Russia.
ChildFund Germany, and its partners in the country, are procuring and distributing food, essential medicines and other basic needs. They’re also creating safe shelters for internally displaced children and families who have lost their homes.
There’s also work underway in the south of western Ukraine, where ChildFund Germany’s partners are organizing online lessons via a network, with 200 teachers. ChildFund Germany has been supporting the people of Ukraine in many ways:
- providing food for children
- providing hot meals for children in an air raid shelter of a vocational school
- providing baby food and diapers to support some 400,000 people
- collecting and distributing food and medicine to 330 children in a school basement and in a hospital’s air raid shelter. (mainly from foster families, boarding schools and with disabilities)
- providing financial assistance to support the purchase of medicine for children
- supporting a psychosocial aid program for children
- helping set up shelters for 100 families
- working to evacuate children from homes and boarding schools to the countryside or to neighbouring countries (with Ukrainian partner NGO)
You can help children in Ukraine today. Contribute to the delivery of urgent, critical relief now.
ABOUT CHILDREN BELIEVE:
Children Believe works globally to empower children to dream fearlessly, stand up for what they believe in — and be heard. For 60+ years, we’ve brought together brave young dreamers, caring supporters and partners, and unabashed idealists. Together, we’re driven by a common belief: creating access to education — inside and outside of classrooms — is the most powerful tool children can use to change their world.
About ChildFund Alliance:
A member of ChildFund Alliance, Children Believe is part of a global network of child-focused development organizations working to create opportunities for children and youth, their families and communities. ChildFund helps nearly 23-million children and their families in 70 countries overcome poverty and underlying conditions that prevent children from achieving their full potential. We work to end violence against children; provide expertise in emergencies and disasters to ease the harmful impact on children and their communities; and engage children and youth to create lasting change and elevate their voices in decisions that affect their lives.