Ukraine, close in our hearts (Union of Portugal)

The Project

Work with the Embassy of Ukraine in Portugal and institutions supporting Ukrainian refugees to identify real needs in the short and medium term so that these needs can be met immediately.

To support Ukrainians in their country and/or Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries with:

• Donations in kind to be delivered to other NGOs on the spot.
• Donations to the Disaster Relief Fund.

To support refugees coming to Portugal with:

• Legal procedures;
• Accommodation;
• Portuguese language skills;
• Access to schools for their children;
• Recognition of their educational qualifications;
• Temporary and permanent work placements;
• Mental health care.

Immediate Objectives of the project:

• Identify partners to cooperate with in order to avoid duplication of efforts;
• Identify donors to support the project;
• Coordinate initiatives from the Clubs involved.

To read the full description of the project, please click HERE

Persons of contact, Alexandra Costa & Ivone Matos / Programme Team of SI Portugal : dpa.siup@gmail.com 

Context

Portugal is one of the countries with higher number of Ukrainian migrants in Europe. This migration flow initiated in the late 1990s and accelerated significantly in the early years of the twenty-first century.

Currently more than 60.000 Ukrainians live and work in Portugal and their families are well
integrated in the labour market and schools. Some are returning to Ukraine to bring support to family members who live there. Many are volunteering to fight against the invasion.

Several solidarity caravans consisting of buses, trucks and even airplanes have been transporting these volunteers and donations to Ukraine and its borders. The caravans return with Ukrainian refugees. Since the current crisis began, Portugal has received more than 5.000 Ukrainian refugees.

The Soroptimist Union of Portugal with most of the Clubs have been deeply engaged in offering basic products such as food, medicines, personal hygienic products to these caravans and arriving refugees.

Evaluation – Follow-up

Programme Teams within Clubs will collect and report to the Union on donations of goods and funds raised.

The Union of Portugal will keep records of all meetings, actions and activities it carries out with partners, to be shared with the PFRs.

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The list of donations received is being updated…