The Issue
After two years of conflict in Ukraine, an estimated 14.6 million Ukrainians require humanitarian support of which 10 million are at risk or living with mental health issues. Specifically, the two regions of Mykolaiv and Kherson are facing vast disruption of critical services, economic hardship and security threats due to the former occupation and the location close to current frontlines.
The war has had a massive impact on people’s livelihood. The economic downturn and land contamination of explosive ordnance have affected vulnerable households’ ability to sustain themselves. Over 74 pct. of people in Mykolaiv live on less than 150 USD per month. Many households relied on subsistence farming, which has been disrupted by the war. Restoring the private sector and job creation is vital to restoring the livelihood of the people in Mykolaiv and Kherson. The conflict has severely impacted mental health and protection services, especially for women and the elderly. There is high demand for legal assistance, particularly for issues related to damaged property as a consequence of the war, social benefits, family matters, and internal displacement registration.
The Project
DCA/NCA is providing essential protection and cash assistance to war-affected populations in Mykolaiv and Kherson. 300 households within the agricultural sector not yet reached by other services/interventions will receive a one-time transfer of 1,500 USD to support the resumption or starting of economic activities. This will support vulnerable households and increase food security.
As a part of the project, a study will be conducted on private sector engagement in Mykolaiv and Kherson to identify future opportunities to scale up.
Furthermore, DCA/NCA delivers mobile mental health and psychosocial support and legal aid services. The project enhances access to quality, coordinated gender-based violence services through mobile teams of psychologists, therapists, lawyers, and social workers. These teams provide case management, psychosocial support (individual counselling and group therapy sessions), awareness training, and legal aid, ensuring care for affected communities.
The Change
The project will enhance the safety and well-being of conflict-affected communities in Ukraine. Cash transfers can help households who have lost their means of income to restart economic activities, improving their financial stability and food security. Particularly, this project will focus on households working in the agriculture sector who have field that are contaminated with explosive ordnance. Agricultural output will increase self-sustainability people in Mykolaiv and Kherson, while ensuring better food security in times, where food prices in Ukraine are drastically increasing.
Since the large-scale invasion in Ukraine, the country has seen an increase in gender-based violence, which this project will seek to lower by raising awareness on the issue. For survivors, the project will provide case management (e.g. help with social services), psychosocial support through counselling or group therapy to tackle traumas and stress, and legal aid.
Legal aid and psychosocial support will also be provided for other groups that need it to help lower the amount of people suffering from mental health issues due to the war. An example of this is to provide art therapy for the elderly, a tried-and-tested modality used to address trauma and psychological problems.
Our Partners
DCA/NCA works with two local partners to implement the project:
Angels of Salvation
Angels of Salvation is a well-known Ukrainian organisation, experienced in providing quality services through mobile teams across Ukraine. The organisation is experienced in forming emergency response teams for psychosocial support services. These teams focus on rapid response, reaching areas without such services. Psychologists in the teams assess the well-being of victims, focusing on identifying trauma and stress. As well as psychological first aid, teams offer tailored social/psychological services to those affected by shelling, engaging in crisis intervention, counselling, social prevention, and signposting victims to other available support.
Ukrainian Education Platform
Ukrainian Education Platform is a Ukrainian NGO that for the last 10 years has worked towards strengthening and supporting young people and the education sector in Ukraine. Like many other Ukrainian organisations, they transformed into a humanitarian response agency at the start of the war and built off their existing faith-based networks around the country to provide rapid assistance.
Our Work
DCA/NCA work in Ukraine with the goal of saving lives by helping communities act as first responders. We fund and empower local groups by training them and sharing resources with them. This funding helps improve and continue important local crisis responses and ensures support reaches communities that are hard to access due to conflict. We build resilient communities by offering legal aid, livelihood support through cash transfers, and psychosocial support.
These services help individuals navigate legal challenges, secure necessary resources, and cope with emotional stress, fostering a stronger, more self-sufficient community
About the project
Full title: People in need are reached with an integrated package of complementary support in Ukraine
Period: January 2024 – June 2025
Partners:
Ukrainian Education Platform
Angels of Salvation
Funding: DKK 11,580,000
Number of people reached: 5,343
Main Donor: DCA/NCA own funds