The war is still going on. It is not bad weather; it is missiles hitting people's homes. It is real and people get killed every day. We can smile, we can give a hug but, in our circumstances, people need more than a hug. They need a home, they need medicine, they need so much more.
About the visit
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, to travel to Ukraine to learn more about the impact of the war, and about the community-led approach that Christian Aid takes to development, the specific work of Heritage Ukraine, and the need to provide longer-term aid for Ukraine.
Among those Archbishop Justin met was 73-year-old Lyuba who told him how her home was destroyed, and her daughter killed in a Russian attack just a month before arriving in Odesa.
Lyuba comes from a village in the Kherson region, a four-to-five-hour car drive away from Odesa. Her village was under Russian control earlier in the war. It once had 3,000 inhabitants, but she believes all but 100 have fled.
‘We did not plan to be evacuated but our daughter was killed on 21 December when she was walking on the street. We buried our daughter on the 26 December, but then the Russians hit our home at new year. That is when we made the decision to evacuate. We left with nothing and now we feel homeless.’
Prior to evacuating, Lyuba and her family lived for a year without electricity. They endured shelling non-stop and the sight of Russian troops across the river. She explains she now suffers from bronchitis because they were living in a basement.
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The very first days we were scared to go out because we were so used to shelling, but now we try to overcome that fear.
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How are Heritage Ukraine helping people in Ukraine?
Heritage is a faith-based organisation based in Odesa, south Ukraine. They’ve been serving orphans and families in crisis since 2007. Since the full-scale invasion, they’ve expanded to provide shelter, food, cash and legal support to the elderly, children and people with disabilities. This means Heritage have also evacuated people from villages close to the front line, providing psychological and physical support where needed.
Heritage Ukraine is supported by Christian Aid through a partnership with Scotland-based Blythswood Care and with funds from the Scottish Government.
Before the war, Heritage helped orphans and families in crisis. However, since the full-scale invasion in February 2022, they expanded to provide shelter, food, cash and legal support to the elderly, children and people with disabilities.
The need for continued humanitarian support in Ukraine
The visit was a stark reminder of the ongoing support that many Ukrainians need. As we enter the third year of operations in Ukraine, the need for humanitarian aid is as important as ever.
David Green, Christian Aid’s Public Engagement Lead who travelled from Scotland to meet with Heritage Ukraine and the Archbishop of Canterbury, reflected: 'Meeting Alyona and speaking with Lyuba, Alla and Kolya was a humbling experience. It wasn’t surprising, or easy, to witness how heavy the toll of war has become and the ever-increasing need for psychological support.
'My message to our political leaders is therefore simple; do not give up on the people of Ukraine. We must do all we can to put the humanitarian support needed, for as long as it is needed, in the hands of the crisis-affected people who know how best to meet the challenges they face and work towards delivering a just and lasting peace.'
We must do all we can to put the humanitarian support needed, for as long as it is needed, in the hands of the crisis-affected people who know how best to meet the challenges they face and work towards delivering a just and lasting peace.
