A Sussex charity has supported hundreds of Ukrainian refugees since the start of the Russian invasion a year ago.
Children on the Edge, based in Chichester, sprung into action at the outbreak of the conflict last February, helping those fleeing across the border into Moldova and Romania.
Some 12 months on, the charity continues to provide a lifeline to refugees in desperate need.
Ben Wilkes, chief operating officer at Children on the Edge, said: “We were in touch with our local partners ahead of the invasion, who we have many years of history of working with both in Romania and Moldova.
“As soon as the conflict started, we were able to respond right away. Within five days, we sent funds to the frontline and within ten days I’d made a visit in person.”
Ben said he was extremely grateful for the outpouring of support following the start of the war, with a massive upsurge in donations.
He said: “We were blown away by the generosity of local people and businesses, who responded immediately to our appeal for funds. It made our rapid response possible, enabling to help thousands of refugees.”
Since the start of the war, the charity has established a drop-in centre in Iasi, near the Romanian-Ukrainian border, along with a residential centre for orphaned children and a recently opened day centre, offering a safe space for refugees to gather socially, join language lessons or take part in activities like yoga, dance classes and singing.
However, the charity has warned that generosity has waned as the war has dragged on, while the needs of the refugee community have increased.
Iryna, who fled Ukraine with her daughter and parents to Romania last year, said: “There were actually less people needing food at the start.
“At this time, there were lots of large organisations giving cash assistance and people still had savings, but now most organisations have left or stopped providing cash and people’s savings have gone.
“There are few ways to earn money and hardly any food distribution centres. Even if people can earn a small amount, they send it back to relatives in Ukraine, who need humanitarian support.”
Ben said that the support the charity is able to provide offers a “lifeline” to those affected by the war.
He said: “There are no other organisations offering the services we are in these areas and what we’re doing with our partners on the ground is providing a real lifeline for refugee families who have suffered so much, without which, they would have nothing.
“We’re truly grateful to our generous supporters who are making this possible.”
The charity is launching a new appeal to raise funds to support their ongoing efforts in Romania and Moldova, as refugees face a second year away from their homes.
Donations can be made to Children on the Edge via their website.
Over eight million people have fled Ukraine to other parts of Europe since the outbreak of the war, with a combined total of around 200,000 in both Romania and Moldova.
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