Ukraine Emergency

What is the situation for children in Ukraine?

For the last 365 days, war has been raging in Ukraine. Children have suffered death, destruction and displacement every single day. Millions of kids have been forced to flee their homes, and those left behind are struggling without electricity, clean water, sanitation and heating.  

The situation in Ukraine remains horrific. But it’s not without hope.  

Thanks to amazing UNICEF donors, we've remained in Ukraine and continue to deliver urgent emergency aid and assistance. Yet, despite our ongoing humanitarian efforts, the needs of children and families remains huge. We know times are tough financially - but we're asking Kiwis to dig deep to keep supporting the children and families of Ukraine.

With your help, we can continue to get aid to kids in desperate need.

Please donate now to support Children in Ukraine.  

How have UNICEF donors been helping? 

Over the past year we’ve received many generous donations from kind-hearted Kiwis up and down Aotearoa. A huge thank you to everyone who donated and provided us with the fuel to continue our lifesaving work. 

Here’s a look at what UNICEF donors helped achieve in the last year:  

• Provide more than 4.6 million people with access to safe drinking water.  

• Ensure over 1.5 million people received WASH supplies (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene). 

• Provide almost 5 million children and women with access to primary health care through UNICEF support facilities and mobile health teams. 

• Ensure more than 1.4 million children received support to continue their education, including providing educational supplies and school-in-a-box kits.   

• Reach almost 3 million children and caregivers with mental health and psychosocial support.  

• Help protect more than 1.2 million children, this includes providing winter clothing, blankets, non-food items and recreation and development kits.  

If you haven’t donated, or want to donate again, please do so today. As the conflict enters its second year, children need our help more than ever. 

Children in the city of Kherson receive blue UNICEF backpacks containing learning materials. As part of a Christmas initiative, UNICEF distributed 30,000 UNICEF schoolbags and stationery kits to support children’s education and mental health.

What are the needs of children and families in Ukraine? 

As the war in Ukraine enters its second year, the situation for millions of kids there remains dangerous and desperate. We won't stop delivering until we've reached every child who needs us. Any amount you can give today, will make a difference. 

Here's a snapshot of the current needs: 

• 17.7 million people in Ukraine need of a variety of humanitarian help to survive 

• Almost 10 million children and adults need help accessing safe water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene. 

• 4.8 million people need access to critical WASH supplies (water, sanitation and hygiene). 

• 4.6 million children need support to continue their education. 

• 1.5 million children face ongoing mental health issues.

Denys (6) stands next to his mother Iryna and his grandmother Zoya, 55. Just a few months ago Denys’ house burnt down after heavy shelling. The family managed to escape but all their belongings were lost in the fire.

How is UNICEF supporting children through winter? 

Children in Ukraine are experiencing their first winter since the war began. The sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice are another challenge for families already dealing with damaged infrastructure, conflict and displacement.  

Our teams are prioritising the delivery of winter clothing kits, blankets and other winter essentials to children. While schools will be provided with heating systems and fuel, and hospitals will receive new generators and heat pumps.  

10-year-old Margaryta sits alongside other children at the shelter of the kindergarten, where UNICEF has delivered new generators in Borodianka, Ukraine. Amid power outages and freezing winter temperatures, new generators are transforming life for children and teachers at kindergartens across Ukraine.

UNICEF has been in Ukraine for more than 25 years, and we’re not going anywhere. We have offices and teams across the country, and in neighbouring countries, working around the clock to deliver for children.

We have decades of experience responding in emergency situations (300+ each year). And with a web of supply hubs and logistic networks across the world, and expert committed staff on the ground - we are uniquely positioned to maximise the impact of every dollar donated.

Please donate now. 

You can help us continue to deliver life-saving supplies for Ukrainian children and their families. 

Alina (9) from Kharkiv, stands in an underground car park, where her family have been sheltering from the air attacks and shelling above. "I don't like this humidity, dust and cold,” says Alina. “While sleeping, I have to wear wool tights, warm pants and a coat. And it's not enough anyway, I'm always cold."

If you would like to donate over the phone, call our friendly team on 0800 243 575.

If you would like to donate direct to our bank account, please use account 01-0505-0463764-00 and code 'UKR-WS'.

In the unlikely event that the funds raised exceed UNICEF’s funding requirements for this appeal, your one off or monthly gift will go to our Greatest Need.  

Your life-saving monthly donations will support this appeal for 6 months. After that they will go into our Global Parent fund to save and protect children worldwide.

UPDATED: 20th February, 2023.