DEMAC scales-up operational resources in Ukraine
30 March 2022
DEMAC scales-up operational resources in Ukraine for enhancing coordination of humanitarian response! We are glad to welcome Dina Volynets as our new DEMAC Liaison Officer in Ukraine.
To support the efforts of diaspora organizations and increase their visibility within the institutional humanitarian system in Ukraine, Dina will ensure a constant communication flow between diaspora organizations as well as between diaspora networks and the formal humanitarian system. She participates in Cluster meetings on behalf of DEMAC, represents the interests of diaspora organizations for closer coordination efforts and facilitates operational support for them on the ground.
Dina, herself Ukrainian, has over 12 years of experience in civil society, community development and humanitarian interventions and has worked as a consultant and trainer for several NGOs.
We never 'broke' into the formal humanitarian system as we were not in Ukraine permanently. We used Caritas and it was through them that we knew what as going on. We did visit every time and dropped in and talked to the UN staff, but we never formally 'sat at the table'. Ukrainian Diaspora Organization
Diasporas at the forefront of the crisis response
The escalation of the conflict in Ukraine on February 24 and the vastly extending needs have largely overwhelmed the formal humanitarian system. Diaspora organizations around the world have scaled-up their emergency preparedness plans to a large degree before the crisis intensified and are currently on the ground in Ukraine, releasing funds rapidly to local organizations or coordinating with international partners to deliver aid.
Humanitarian needs are increasing
Currently, more than 10 million Ukrainians are displaced internally or seeking refuge in another country. More than 12 million people are currently in need of humanitarian aid in Ukraine. The conflict has left over 2.9 million children in dire need of humanitarian assistance, of safety, protection and psychosocial support (UN OCHA, 2022). The number is likely to increase over the next weeks, should the intense fighting continue.
The Ukrainian diaspora is at the forefront of the crisis response
While the formal humanitarian system was overwhelmed by the escalating crisis in Ukraine, several diaspora organizations worldwide have scaled-up their response long before the conflict started on February 24. Currently the Ukrainian diaspora counts between 7-20 million with more than 1,000 diaspora organizations globally.
Since the onset of the current crisis in Ukraine, they have raised millions of Dollars, released funds quickly and coordinated on logistics with local and international partners to deliver aid to those who need it most - especially in the sectors of health, food security, emergency shelter and education.
Photo Credits: UN OCHA, DRC Ukraine
